The Ones We Care For The Most Never Get It
by vally27
Summary: ShikaIno, NaruHina, NejiTen, GaaSuri and slight SasuSaku. Things are changing all around, and as they change, can people hold onto love? *Complete* Sequel may or may not come.
1. Breakdowns

Hello people!! Ummm……. I LOVE THIS COUPLE!!!

Ero does too… everyone in the story is like 16 or 17 Soooo yeah… here it is…

**_With the lazy bastard…_**

Nara, Shikamaru was the smartest person you would probably ever meet. He was very, very, very lazy and he knew nothing about how to express the four letter 'L' word. Which he is currently having a lot of trouble with.

'_What the hell is wrong with me?!'_ He currently was blushing at what had just happened.

_**Flashback**_

Shikamaru was yawning at practice while Asuma was yelling at his team.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU MESSED THIS MISSION UP! EVEN WITH YOU SHIKAMARU! A CHUNIN!"

Shikamaru sighed, _'How troublesome' _

"Asuma-sensei I was protecting the team, we may have lost the scroll but we didn't lose any lives."

Now that Asuma calmed down he just sighed.

"Fine just spar for a bit. Ino with Shikamaru, Chouji with me."

So the sparring began and abruptly ended when Ino slipped. And fell on our poor Shikamaru ending up about a centimeter from his face. To make matters worse for him team seven was heading up the hill to train with them.

At this sight a loud mouth blonde decided to make everything even worse, "WHOA SHIKAMARU I THOUGHT YOU WOULD NEVER HOOK UP WITH INO!!"

Shikamaru blushed a blush able to rival those of Hinata Hyuga.

Ino on the other hand got up and smacked Naruto on the back of his head, "SHUT UP NARUTO! I only love my Sasuke-kun."

Sakura was sent fuming at this and she started yelling in colorful language. But this is not important all that is important is the fuming, blushing Shikamaru walking of the practice field.

_**End flashback**_

'_ARGH! Why do I feel so jealous?! This is so troublesome!'_

Than Chouji came into the clearing Shikamaru was now sitting in, pointed and exclaimed, "I FOUND YOU!"

He walked over to him, "What's going on? You looked really pissed when you left."

Shikamaru sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time today, "Nothing's wrong."

Usually Chouji just would've said ok and left but today Kohona's brilliant strategist made a mistake he let his feelings out in his voice. Confusion, hurt, jealousy, and anger were evident in his voice. Chouji being his life long friend knew in a second something was up.

"What happened," Chouji let out bluntly he wanted to know now.

Shikamaru caught this and knowing if Chouji wanted an explanation He wanted it the second he asked. Accordingly Shikamaru decided to pour out his guts for the next fifteen minutes.

"Soooo … From what I get your jealous of Sasuke for having Ino's attention?"

Chouji couldn't help but smirk at Shikamaru's answer,"Yes. … I mean NO!"

'_I hate you Chouji…how troublesome.'_ Chouji laughed for the better part of ten minutes before Shikamaru decided to give him a nice whack to the head.

"OWW!!" Chouji rub the now red bump on his head, "Jerk! Don't take your frustration out on me! It ain't my fault you don't want to accept you're jealous of him because you love Ino!"

Shikamaru froze up did he love Ino?

"Hah! I knew it! Well just tell her," Even though Chouji didn't look like he was pretty smart.

Shikamaru hung his head Chouji couldn't be righter, "Damn you Chouji."

_**An hour later**_

Shikamaru gulped he was about to ask the most troublesome woman in the world to help him.

"Mom?" Shikamaru called into her den she kept records for the hokage and sometimes went on missions with his dad. Which he personally thought was crazy for choosing this slave driver as his wife.

"Yes son?" His mom muttered.

'_YES she's tired!'_ He knew she was less harsh when she was tired.

"I uh … n-need help" He blushed and Shikamaru's eyes widened at the mistake he just made.

'_Shit I'm blushing and I stuttered, how troublesome.' _

Unfortunately his mom had noticed his stutter. She noticed everything, poor, poor Shikamaru.

"So who do you like?" She suddenly questioned after a small silence.

He immediately blushed and fell over.

"H-How d-did you know?!" Shikamaru asked in a shocked voice.

His mom laughed, if Shikamaru wasn't a sane person he would think the world was about to end.

She finally stopped laughing and sighed, "I was in love too you know and that was the exact way I went to my mom when I found out I loved your father," she continued,"Now, who is it?"

Shikamaru was feeling a bit confident and actually closer to his mom so he decided it was okay to tell her. "Ino."

His mom almost laughed herself to death. "You're having trouble telling her?! After being through all the shit you had to do you can't tell your own teammate?!"

She continued laughing and Shikamaru lost his entire small amount of self confidence which is pretty bad because all of his control over his feelings went too. His failure four years before on his mission he led to get Sasuke back when everyone suffered almost fatal wounds, the failed mission earlier today, being criticized for knowing only one jutsu, not having Ino so the tears he had held in for the last FOUR years just flowed out.

He curled up into a little ball as his mind raced through his self-proclaimed idiotic failures, he began to cry harder.

'_STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!! YOU ALWAYS MESS UP!'_

His subconscious was repeating in his mind until for the second time today he had to remind himself he was sane. Why? His mom was hugging him. She hadn't hugged him for the last six years; she would smile a coy smile at him but other than that nothing.

And his mom was just surprising him today, "Just… Just let it all out."

So he did he just cried for a time until he had cried himself to sleep.

Ino was sent reeling at what she had just seen. Shikamaru had forgot his weapon poach at training so she had decided to return it to him. When she arrived no one would answer the door so she decided to see what was going on. She peeked into a random window which happened to be Mrs. Nara's office window; she had caught the whole thing. The conversation, Shikamaru's breakdown, everything.

'_Shikamaru…likes me? ... Ch- Chouji… was right?'_

_**To be continued…hopefully.**_

Well if you want more and to find out what Chouji said to Ino review please.

Till later your Hispanic hottie vally27


	2. Discoveries

Thanks for your great reviews!! I am very, very happy and Ero is too! So here it is the next installment of: **_'The Ones We Love Never Get It'_**

_**Recap**_

_**His mom almost laughed herself to death. **_

"_**You're having trouble telling her?! After being through all the shit you had to do you can't tell your own teammate?!" **_

_**She continued laughing and Shikamaru lost his entire small amount of self confidence which is pretty bad because all of his control over his feelings went too. His failure four years before on his mission he led to get Sasuke back when everyone suffered almost fatal wounds, the failed mission earlier today, being criticized for knowing only one jutsu, not having Ino so the tears he had held in for the last FOUR years just flowed out**_

_**He curled up into a little ball as his mind raced through his self-proclaimed idiotic failures, he began to cry harder. **_

'_**STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!! YOU ALWAYS MESS UP!' **_

_**His subconscious was repeating in his mind until for the second time today he had to remind himself he was sane. Why? His mom was hugging him. She hadn't hugged him for the last six years; she would smile a coy smile at him but other than that nothing. **_

_**And his mom was just surprising him today, "Just… Just let it all out."**_

_**So he did he just cried for a time until he had cried himself to sleep.**_

**_Ino was sent reeling at what she had just seen. Shikamaru had forgot his weapon poach at training so she had decided to return it to him. When she arrived no one would answer the door so she decided to see what was going on. She peeked into a random window which happened to be Mrs. Nara's office window; she had caught the whole thing. The conversation, Shikamaru's breakdown, everything. _**

'_**Shikamaru…likes me? ... Ch- Chouji… was right?' **_

_**With Ino about 1 ½ hours ago**_

'_Why would Shikamaru leave like that?'_

Ino was quietly thinking to herself while Naruto was challenging Sasuke. Ino sighed she had just tried to ask Sasuke on a date. He had changed a lot since he was gone, but he still turned her down.

"Listen Ino I just don't share the same feelings for you I'm sorry. But, you should another guy a chance. There's one close to you so close you may not even notice him hopefully you will soon." Those were Sasuke's exact words and it silenced everyone because he had just said something with true sincerity… wow people are doing that a lot today…

Of course the first one to break the silence was Naruto.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU AND WHAT DID YOU DO WITH SASUKE!!"

Sasuke replied with three simple words, "Shut up dobe."

"… Never mind that's Sasuke-teme." Naruto confirmed.

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious smart one." The pink-haired girl added.

'_To think I liked her…'_ Naruto shuddered _'…but now I have Hinata-chan.'_ with that Naruto slipped into a day dream about his girlfriend.

A few minutes later a concerned Chouji came into the practice field chewing on chips like there was no tomorrow.

Ino approached him, "Chouji what's wrong?"

'_Shit, Shit, Shit, Shit, Shit, Shit, SHIT!! What do I say! What do I say! What do I say! What do I say! What do I say! What do I say! What do I say! What do I say! What do I say! WHAT DO I DO?'_ Chouji was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Sell out his friend's feelings or lie to his other friend.

"Uhh… n-nothing…" Chouji responded.

But as it manifested it turns out his explanation was far from believable to Ino

__

In short Ino didn't buy it at all.

With a venomous voice she expressed this.

"You better tell me the truth!"

Chouji knew her tone ALL too well so he decided to spill because the last time he didn't he ended up in the emergency room.

"W-Well uhh… y-you should sit f-for th-this."

So Ino complied and did so. Chouji then dropped a secret known by very few.

"Sh-Shikamaru… h-he stormed off because of what you said about Sasuke …"

'_Huh? Why would he?'_ Ino wondered but she didn't wonder for long be cause Chouji made all clear.

"… b-because he likes you m-maybe even love you…"

When she had first heard this she looked at Chouji as if he was crazy. She began to laugh.

"Wow Chouji this' a nice joke how much food did Shikamaru promise you to say that?"

Chouji replied grimly, "This isn't a joke. You should go talk to him yourself."

He pointed at a weapon pouch. "That's his take it to him as an excuse to talk to him."

_**Present Time**_

With what she just saw Ino's world came crashing down she finally understood every little gesture Shikamaru had done towards her.

When a pervert came near her he was the first guy to threaten and/or beat them to a pulp.

Why he was always angry towards Sasuke when he was around and would be extra protective.

When he was on that mission earlier he could have chosen to get the scrolls and let her die but he had saved her instead.

Recalling that mission he had asked her in the beginning why she 'loved' him. She said she didn't need to tell him, but the truth was she didn't know herself.

Now she doubted she even felt close to Sasuke.

Also Shikamaru has always been there for her.

He always put up with her whining and her orders.

He never pushed her away but held her close.

The only cold words ever uttered at her from him were to keep her out of danger unlike Sasuke.

He was always warm and he made her smile and… She made a realization at that moment.

'_Oh my god,' _she thought, _'I-I love Shikamaru.' _

YES the second chappie! If you want more remember to REVIEW!!!

Your Hispanic hottie vally27 ;P


	3. Bets & Moms

HI!! I am very happy with my reviews… I finally learned how to reply to them!... Soooo here it is the next chapter!!

_**Recap**_

_**With what she just saw Ino's world came crashing down she finally understood every little gesture Shikamaru had done towards her. **_

_**When a pervert came near her he was the first guy to threaten and/or beat them to a pulp. **_

_**Why he was always angry towards Sasuke when he was around and would be extra protective. **_

_**When he was on that mission earlier he could have chosen to get the scrolls and let her die but he had saved her instead. **_

_**Recalling that mission he had asked her in the beginning why she 'loved' him. She said she didn't need to tell him, but the truth was she didn't know herself. **_

_**Now she doubted she even felt close to Sasuke.**_

_**Also Shikamaru has always been there for her. **_

_**He always put up with her whining and her orders. **_

_**He never pushed her away but held her close. **_

_**The only cold words ever uttered at her from him were to keep her out of danger unlike Sasuke. **_

_**He was always warm and he made her smile and… She made a realization at that moment.**_

'_**Oh my god,' she thought, 'I-I love Shikamaru.' **_

_**Elsewhere**_

Chouji was watching the most idiotic, yet effective money making scheme EVER!! They were all on a building watching over what was going on. Naruto was hollering out bets to see who would confess to the other first!

"PLACE YOUR BETS HERE!! BETS HERE!! WHICH WILL CONFESS FIRST TO THE OTHER!? THE LAZY BASTARD SHIKAMARU OR THE CONTROLLING PSYCHO INO!?"

Hinata was busy laughing her head off in the corner at Naruto's crazy antics.

Neji came up to him Ten-Ten holding his hand; they both placed their bets down at the same time.

Neji boasted, "Shikamaru boys always confess first."

Ten-Ten said, "Ino girls always confess first."

They stared at each other for about two seconds and started arguing. Naruto meanwhile was putting away the money they placed down. Poor Hinata just laughed harder while her face turned red she was losing air fast. Naruto noticed this FINALLY!!

"HINATA!?" He yelled worriedly he being a lovable idiot thought she was choking so he ran as fast as he could to her and started panicking.

Hinata just laughed harder, _'He's so cute when he's panicking!' _

Naruto finally complied an idea he very quickly laid her down and gave her what he thought would help her. Mouth to mouth. Every one froze when they saw this and then ran as far as they could when they felt killer intent coming off someone.

Neji.

Hinata was blushing like a tomato when she finally could breathe again and Naruto was holding her close.

"You scared me you know that?!"

Hinata looked down, "S-sorry N-naruto-kun."

Naruto smiled down at her, "its o- AHHH!!"

At that moment a kunai whizzed past his head.

"WHAT THE HELL!? NEJI!?"

Neji was standing ready to fight, "Who gave you permission to kiss lady Hinata?"

He said his voice dripping with venom.

Naruto looked confused, "Hinata you didn't tell him yet?"

Hinata shook her head, "I o-only told my f-father."

Neji was now aggravated he didn't know what was going on, "Told what?!"

Naruto answered in a simple tone, "Hinata and me are girlfriend and boyfriend. It was kinda obvious…"

Neji was angrier now no one had told him!

"How long," he said trying to disguise his anger.

"Uhh…" Naruto counted on his fingers and asked Hinata, "six months right?"

Hinata nodded blushingly. Neji was in shock he was really that dumb?

"Weeellllll…" Naruto got up with Hinata and took a big breath, "BETS ARE OVER NOW LET'S SIT BACK AND WATCH!!"

_**Back down with the lovebirds**_

Ino decided she needed to talk to him she went to the door and knocked.

'_How am I gonna face him? Dammit! I'm never this nervous!" _

Yoshino (A/N Thank you Susie!) answered the door with a sweet smile, "Hello Ino. How are you?"

Ino smiled back, "Good and you?"

She replied with a sad smile now, "Taking care of Shikamaru he's going through something right now."

Ino looked down, and then Yoshino added, "Do you want to come in?"

Ino nodded and Yoshino moved to allow Ino to enter. _'I'm going into Shika's house! YES!! … Where'd that come from ...?'_

Ino walked in and marveled at how clean the house was.

"I make him clean it every other day." Yoshino said as if reading her mind.

"Wait." Ino said clearly surprised, "Shikamaru? Our Shikamaru!? The lazy indifferent 'too troublesome kid'?!"

Yoshino nodded and replied almost proudly, "Yep!"

'_Wooowww…The lazy bastard never helps clean camp though!!' _

Ino said quietly to herself, "Oh you are sooo dead Shikamaru!"

They walked through the house and sat at the dining room table.

They sat in silence until Yoshino broke it with a question, "What happened on the mission you guys went on recently?"

Ino wasn't listening, "Huh?"

Yoshino repeated the question.

"Ohhh…" Ino replied nervously,"Why do you want to know?"

Yoshino said indifferently, "Shikamaru wouldn't tell me, and if he wouldn't tell me something happened that was important and I want to know. Now."

Ino cursed silently to Shikamaru.

'_I don't want to tell her!' _

Ino sighed she probably was going to have to any way.

Yoshino also added, "I want to know everything I'll know if you leave something out."

Ino cursed silently again. _'Now I know why he calls his mom troublesome!' _

Ino still complied with her request.

"Fine, fine." She sighed again, "Where to begin, where to begin…"

She straightened up, "Okay, we met up with Asuma-sensei right in front of the hokage monument when we got there…"

I think I'll stop right there for now and remember if you want more review I don't care for flames send 'em if you want I'm not easily discouraged.

Your Hispanic Hottie, vally27 ;P


	4. Memories

Hola! Como va todos?! … Sorry I just wanted to type in Spanish for a bit… Now I think it's time for the next chapter!

_**Recap**_

_**Ino decided she needed to talk to him she went to the door and knocked. **_

'**_How am I gonna face him? Dammit! I'm never this nervous!' _**

_**Shikamaru's mom answered the door with a sweet smile, "Hello Ino. How are you?" **_

_**Ino smiled back, "Good and you?" **_

**_She replied with a sad smile now, "Taking care of Shikamaru he's going through something right now." _**

**_Ino looked down, then Yoshino added, "Do you want to come in?" _**

**_Ino nodded and Yoshino moved to allow Ino to enter. 'I'm going into Shika's house! YES!! … Where'd that come from ...?' _**

_**Ino walked in and marveled at how clean the house was.**_

"**_I make him clean it every other day." Yoshino said as if reading her mind. _**

"**_Wait." Ino said clearly surprised, "Shikamaru? Our Shikamaru!? The lazy indifferent 'too troublesome kid'?!" _**

**_Yoshino nodded and replied almost proudly, "Yep!" _**

'_**Wooowww…The lazy bastard never helps clean camp though!!' Ino said quietly to herself, "Oh you are sooo dead Shikamaru!" **_

_**They walked through the house and sat at the dining room table.**_

**_They sat in silence until Yoshino broke it with a question, _**

"_**What happened on the mission you guys went on recently?" **_

**_Ino wasn't listening, "Huh?" _**

**_Yoshino repeated the question. _**

"**_Ohhh…" Ino replied nervously,"Why do you want to know?" _**

**_Yoshino said indifferently, "Shikamaru wouldn't tell me, and if he wouldn't tell me something happened that was important and I want to know. Now." _**

_**Ino cursed silently to Shikamaru. 'I don't want to tell her!' **_

_**Ino sighed she probably was going to have to any way.**_

**_Yoshino also added, "I want to know everything I'll know if you leave something out." _**

_**Ino cursed silently again. 'Now I know why he calls his mom troublesome!' **_

**_Ino still complied with her request. _**

"_**Fine, fine." She sighed again, "Where to begin, where to begin…" **_

_**She straightened up, "Okay, we met up with Asuma-sensei right in front of the hokage monument when we got there…"**_

_**Flash back**_

_Asuma was pacing around burning through his cigarettes. _

'_Where are they!?' At that moment three shinobi landed at his feet. _

_Asuma growled "What took you all so long?!" _

_Shikamaru answered in a bored tone, "Chouji was eating and being so fat we couldn't drag him here." _

_Chouji then yelled, "I AM NOT FAT!!" _

_Shikamaru remained in the same tone of voice, "Riiight your not…" _

_Ino giggled at this. Shikamaru smiled his rare smile that he had shown very few people. Ino, Shikato, Yoshino (When he was younger), and no one else. Then after a few seconds Chouji tackled Shikamaru to the ground._

_When Chouji was finally dragged off of him by Asuma, Asuma described their mission. _

"_Okay you guys your going on a mission to retrieve some scrolls that were stolen from the mist. Shikamaru since you're the Chunin in the group you'll lead the mission. It's supposedly a "C" rank but I don't believe it for one second." _

_Shikamaru commented on this clearly aggravated, "So I'm going on this because of your thoughts?" He sighed, "How troublesome." _

_Ino was annoyed at his actions one thing though, she didn't know why. She never knew why. _

'_Argh! WHY AM I ANNOYED?!' _

"_So you leave… NOW!" Asuma yelled._

_The three shinobi were gone in a second, and they left only clouds to signify they were there. _

_**Outside Kohona Gates**_

_Shikamaru sighed his signature sigh he was tired and he really didn't want to be here and to make it worse Ino was rambling on and on about Mr. Uchiha. Shikamaru was getting annoyed but why? _

'_She always talks about the Uchiha brat!' He couldn't help but think. _

_Ino was practically yelling out, "I'm so happy Sasuke's back!" _

_Chouji just ate his chips as he saw Shikamaru fume over her actions. Chouji couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't said anything to Ino. _

'…_He's a big chicken.' Chouji sighed._

_After only moments of hearing this, "Oh my god I love him!" Ino shouted. _

_Shikamaru had snapped, "Why!?" He said as venomously as he could. _

_Ino jumped at his words not only had he never spoken to her that way but he had never questioned her about this. She quickly though recovered. _

_Shikamaru being really aggravated right now asked as venomously as before, "Why!?" _

_Ino thought about this long and hard and came to a startling conclusion. _

_She did not know._

_  
So she thought quickly and came up with something. _

"_I don't need to tell you," She said this in the snobbiest way possible. …_

_Bad. Choice. _

_At this Shikamaru stormed ahead he has had enough for right now. _

'_Huh?' Ino was left dumb-founded at what just happened. _

_In following hours she developed a brain and saw that he was angry. Here is a list of reasons how she came to this conclusion._

_He won't look her in the eye._

_He won't look at her unless completely necessary._

_He will only talk to her in a bitter voice._

_He will not at all respond to her requests to stop and rest._

_He always listens to her requests, which makes # 4 more understandable._

_THE BIGGEST REASON: he said, "Ino I'm mad at you."_

_How did she find out this tough information to get? You may ask? She used a subtle approach. Err… well… ok maybe not. _

_You see she just walked up to him in full boss mode, "Shikamaru Nara! What is wrong with you!?" _

_He had an empty look as he said his words, "Ino I'm mad at you." _

_She just stood there shocked. _

_He just walked past her in her shocked form, and yelled back, "HURRY UP!" _

_After a few hours Chouji's legs gave out._

_Shikamaru said tiredly, "This … Will be where we rest."_

_Ino said in an exasperated voice, "Finally!" _

_Shikamaru just glanced her over and began putting up the tents, seeing as Chouji was too tired to. _

_Shikamaru finished up and yawned out, "I'll make dinner and then we'll sleep." _

_He was still refusing to look at Ino unless absolutely necessary. As he cooked Ino surveyed him. He wasn't as angry as he appeared before with her, because he didn't have a scowl on his face as before._

"_Dinner's done," Shikamaru announced serving Miso Soup for the three of them. _

_Chouji trudged over still tired, "Thank you Shikamaru." _

_Ino announced this also only without notice from Shikamaru as he poured her soup. Both Chouji and Ino frowned he refused still to interact with her. Every thing was dead quiet as they ate. Chouji had gone to sleep after leaving only bowl on the ground._

_The silence was broken only by a stray kunai whizzing past Chouji's ear. Shikamaru and Ino were immediately ready to fight .There were only two assailants masked to conceal their identity. _

"_So you're the retrievers of these," one of the assailants held out scrolls, "scrolls, huh?"_

_Shikamaru nodded, "Give them before we have to beat you senseless." _

_The assailants smiled the creepiest smile you could imagine! _

"_The scrolls did not contain the information we wanted so you know what," The second assailant discreetly took out two exploding tags and kunais, "We'll play a game." _

_The first assailant threw the scrolls while the second assailant threw the two kunais with the exploding tags on them at the scrolls. And the second thing he threw the kunai at scared Shikamaru. _

'_INO!' _

_The assailants yelled in hysterical voices, "CHOOSE YOUNG BOY!"_

_Shikamaru though did not have a second thought he tackled Ino out of the way of the kunai. Then watched in disappointment as the kunai hit the scroll and burst into flames. By the time it was over the two assailants were gone. _

'_Damn it.' Shikamaru thought to himself as he got up and offered his hand to Ino. _

_Ino was just in shock of what just happened. Shikamaru had chosen her life above the mission. She absent mindedly took his hand and let him lead her to her tent. _

"_Rest.", that was the last thing he said to her before she blacked out._

_She awoke on Shikamaru's back next morning as they approached the gates. She was a little surprised as to she was on Shikamaru's back but … She was happy. She didn't know why but she would discover soon. _

"_How'd you sleep," Shikamaru asked noticing she was awake. _

"_Fine," She said quietly, "Can I get down?" _

_Shikamaru nodded and set her carefully. "Asuma should be awaiting us at the practice field," Shikamaru assumed. _

_Ino nodded, "Where's Chouji?" _

_Shikamaru replied, "He went ahead so he's probably already there. So let's go."   
_

_**Present**_

"That's what happened on the mission leading up to the morning with Asuma-sensei." Ino finished.

Yoshino nodded clearly surprised at what happened. So for the next few hours they just interrogated each other about things and had a great time. Ino learned so much embarrassing things about Shikamaru. The best of which in her opinion was when he used to wet the bed. Then a groan could be heard coming from outside…

_**TBC**_

_**Valeria- uhh… I thought it would be fun to do this…**_

_**Shika-This is fun but maybe not for a troublesome woman like you**_

_**Valeria- super pissed-off glare what'd you say?!**_

_**Shika- repeats himself**_

_**Valeria- I see… takes a deep breath**_

_**Shika- (oh crap) Wai-**_

_**Valeria- INO! SHIKAMARU'S BEING MEAN!!**_

_**Shika- shit.**_

_**trees are falling in the distance and birds are fleeing.**_

_**Valeria- nyah-nyah taunting face Now you're gonna get it.**_

_**Ino- comes into view eyes flaming**_

**_Valeria- (That's my cue.) starts to cry& points at Shikamaru He's being mean to me Ino!_**

_**Shika-You BRAT I WAS N-**_

_**Ino- DON'T YELL AT HER! smacks him upside the head**_

**_Shika- Hey! rubs bump on head troublesome women._**

_**Ino- evil smile What?!**_

_**Valeria- … ok … the skit ish done.**_

_**Shika- Thank god! That was so stu-**_

_**Valeria- glares at him**_

_**Shika-gulp**_

_**Valeria- OK! **_

_**Ino- umm… a quick question…**_

_**Valeria- Yeah?**_

_**Ino- do I get the guy?**_

_**Valeria- uhh… heh… maayyybeee**_

_**Ino- eyes flaming WHAT!!!??? I'm gonna KILL YOU!!**_

**_Valeria-Eep! starts running Thank you all for reading so far this is your Hispanic hottie signing off 'till next time! Vally27;P_**


	5. Groans & Toads

Hey waz up? … I'm just being my depressed self but writing these stories is my escape. Thank you to all my reviewers. Your reviews make my day.  Here's the recap.

_**Recap**_

_**(During flashback)**_

_**The silence was broken only by a stray kunai whizzing past Chouji's ear. Shikamaru and Ino were immediately ready to fight .There were only two assailants masked to conceal their identity. **_

"_**So you're the retrievers of these," one of the assailants held out scrolls, "scrolls, huh?"**_

_**Shikamaru nodded, "Give them before we have to beat you senseless."**_

_**The assailants smiled the creepiest smile you could imagine! **_

"_**The scrolls did not contain the information we wanted so you know what," The second assailant discreetly took out two exploding tags and kunais, "We'll play a game." **_

_**The first assailant threw the scrolls while the second assailant threw the two kunais with the exploding tags on them at the scrolls. And the second thing he threw the kunai at scared Shikamaru. **_

'_**INO!' **_

_**The assailants yelled in hysterical voices, "CHOOSE YOUNG BOY!"**_

_**Shikamaru though did not have a second thought he tackled Ino out of the way of the kunai. Then watched in disappointment as the kunai hit the scroll and burst into flames. By the time it was over the two assailants were gone. **_

'_**Damn it.' Shikamaru thought to himself as he got up and offered his hand to Ino. Ino was just in shock of what just happened. Shikamaru had chosen her life above the mission. She absent mindedly took his hand and let him lead her to her tent. **_

"**_Rest.", that was the last thing he said to her before she blacked out._**

_**She awoke on Shikamaru's back next morning as they approached the gates. She was a little surprised as to she was on Shikamaru's back but … She was happy. She didn't know why but she would discover soon. **_

"_**How'd you sleep," Shikamaru asked noticing she was awake.**_

"_**Fine," She said quietly, "Can I get down?" **_

**_Shikamaru nodded and set her down carefully. _**

"_**Asuma should be awaiting us at the practice field," Shikamaru assumed. **_

_**Ino nodded, "Where's Chouji?" **_

_**Shikamaru replied, "He went ahead so he's probably already there. So let's go."  
**_

_**End Flashback**_

"_**That's what happened on the mission leading up to the morning with Asuma-sensei." Ino finished. **_

_**Yoshino nodded clearly surprised at what happened. So for the next few hours they just interrogated each other about things and had a great time. Ino learned so much embarrassing things about Shikamaru. The best of which in her opinion was when he used to wet the bed. Then a groan could be heard coming from outside…**_

_**Outside**_

Naruto got up from just being thrown off of the roof. The poor kid tried to deny Tsunade a bet. Not only that, but he yet again called her grandma.

"That'll teach you!" Tsunade called up from the roof waving her fist at him.

She then retreated like a bullet out of view.

'_Huh?' _thought Naruto, _'why would she g-'_

Ino smacked him upside the head, "Were you eavesdropping!?"

Naruto rubbed his head where a now throbbing bump was, and looked at his surroundings. He was directly in front of the dining room window and completely able bodied to see and hear whatever he wanted.

'_Shit!'_

"Uh… heh… umm… w-well I-I wasn't eavesdropping… y-you see I was on the roof of that b-" Naruto cut himself off when he saw the most horrific… well the second most horrific threat he could imagine. (The first being 'We'll kill Hinata.')

The betters on the roof were waving a banner that read, 'We will destroy Ichiraku ramen if you tell what's going on up here!'

So Naruto was between a rock and a hard place. Get beaten by Ino or lose Ichiraku's ramen shop.

So he made his own choice. He ran the hell out of there. Ino was about to charge after him when she felt hands grab onto her shoulders. Some women would first assume it was some idiotic pervert trying to violate them. But Ino knew these hands and her heart jumped at the touch.

She whispered quietly, "Shikamaru?"

Ino was half hoping she was wrong. Why? Because she didn't know if she was ready to tell him how she felt about him.

The half though felt completely the opposite and was screaming, _'PLEASE LET HIM BE TOUCHING ME!!'_

But she wasn't left in the dark for too long.

Finally an answer came that made the yelling half happy... well sorta...

"What are you doing here Ino?" Shikamaru asked kinda confused.

His mother had just woken him up telling him to go outside. Now here he is holding Ino back from killing Naruto. Wow... he was really confused now... yet... he felt so happy. Her just being next to him just made his heart soar.

Ino turned to face Shikamaru, and when she did she blushed a blush that out beat Hinata's by at least 7 shades of red. Shikamaru being rushed out of his home had come out with no shirt! It seems that Chunin vest hid a lot of his chest muscles!

'_HE HAS A SIX PACK!!'_ Ino screamed in her head. She just couldn't help staring.

Shikamaru blushed under her gaze.

"I-Is s-something wrong I-Ino?" He asked, but he could only blush more when she responded only by staring.

Then amazingly a toad, a giant one, leapt out and pushed Ino into Shikamaru. (Hmmm... I wonder who did that... –cough, cough- NARUTO!!-cough, cough- any waaayy...)

Ino was fighting the urge to pass out as she was so close to Shikamaru. Also when she had fallen into him he had held onto her. Making her ever so closer to his body. Still fighting she chanced a look at him; she just blushed deeper and passed out.

Shikamaru did not know what the hell had just happened. Ino just passed out in his arms when she looked up at him.

'_I was just smiling at her...' _Shikamaru thought, then his little angel person came into his head.

'_How many times do I have to tell you?! I DON"T BELIEVE IN YOU!!' _Shikamaru yelled mentally at his angel.

The angel simply said, _'I exist in your head so you believe. Also that was the best smile you could have shown anyone... ok I'm bored I'm gonna go play cards with devil.'_ With that the angel left.

"..." _'I still dunno why the fuck she fainted.'_

(-Sigh-) As you can clearly see Shikamaru is a genius when it comes to being a strategist.

But he's a dense idiot when it comes to things like this.

"..."

'_I'll just take her to my room and lay her down on my bed. It'll turn out fine.'_

Yep. Dense as steel.

So he slung her onto his back and took her up to his room. Yoshino was watching him with a smirk

'_Oh yeah.'_ She went into the kitchen.

'_My plan is working! GO ME!'_ Yoshino proceeded to do her own little victory dance.

Then the phone rang, _'Good they called.'_

She picked up the phone and on the other end someone said, "So who do you think will get their bets repaved?"

Yes the mastermind behind the betting is none other than Yoshino who honestly had been planning this for months. Everything except the mission.

"I suppose it would be who ever bet on Ino"

"Got it," said the other voice and they hung up.

'_Naruto is going to announce it.'_

As if on cue there was a group chorus of 'DAMN IT!' Yoshino just laughed as she flicked on the hidden camera receiver she had set up to see all that goes on today.

What she saw was surprising...

_**TBC**_

**_Valeria- -huff, huff- DOESN'T SHE EVER GIVE UP! (Running)_**

_**Ino- NO I DON'T!! NOW FUCKING SAY I GET THE GUY!!(Chasing)  
**_

_**Valeria- NEVER!! 'I don't feel like it'**_

**_Ino- ARRGH!! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!_**

_**Valeria- Shit! Oh well thank you for staying with me! This is your Hispanic Hottie signing off 'till next time! vally27 ;P**_


	6. Glass Deers & More Breakdowns

_**Valeria- NOOO GOD DAMN IT INO STOP CHASING MEE!!! (Running)**_

_**Ino- NOT UNTIL YOU SAY IT!! (Chasing her)**_

_**Valeria- IT!! (Climbs up a tree) **_

**_Ino- (Eye twitches) YOU KNOW WHAT I MEANT!! ... And if you think you can get away from me by climbing up a tree you are very mistaken. (Jumps onto the branch I'm on)_**

_**Valeria- EEP!! ...hi...**_

_**Ino- Hi. (Venom dripping from voice)**_

_**Valeria- ...Bye... (Jumps down and runs) (Out of breath) Here's the Recap then on to the chapter!**_

_**Recap**_

_**Ino turned to face Shikamaru, and when she did she blushed a blush that out beat Hinata's by at least 7 shades of red. Shikamaru being rushed out of his home had come out with no shirt! It seems that Chunin vest hid a lot of his chest muscles! **_

'_**HE HAS A SIX PACK!!' Ino screamed in her head. **_

_**She just couldn't help staring. Shikamaru blushed under her gaze.**_

"_**I-Is s-something wrong I-Ino?" He asked, but he could only blush more when she responded only by staring. **_

_**Then amazingly a toad, a giant one, leapt out and pushed Ino into Shikamaru. **_

_**(Hmmm... I wonder who did that... –cough, cough- NARUTO!!-cough, cough- any waaayy...)**_

_**Ino was fighting the urge to pass out as she was so close to Shikamaru. Also when she had fallen into him he had held onto her. Making her ever so closer to his body. Still fighting she chanced a look at him; she just blushed deeper and passed out.**_

_**Shikamaru did not know what the hell had just happened. Ino just passed out in his arms when she looked up at him. **_

'_**I was just smiling at her...' Shikamaru thought, then his little angel person came into his head. **_

'_**How many times do I have to tell you?! I DON"T BELIEVE IN YOU!!' Shikamaru yelled mentally at his angel. **_

**_The angel simply said, "I exist in your head so you believe. Also that was the best smile you could have shown anyone... ok I'm bored I'm gonna go play cards with devil."_**

**_With that the angel left. _**

"_**..." **_

'_**I still dunno why the fuck she fainted.' **_

_**(-Sigh-) As you can clearly see Shikamaru is a genius when it comes to being a strategist. But he's a dense idiot when it comes to things like this.**_

"_**..." **_

'_**I'll just take her to my room and lay her down on my bed. It'll turn out fine.' **_

**_Yep. Dense as steel. _**

_**So he slung her onto his back and took her up to his room. Yoshino was watching him with a smirk 'Oh yeah.' **_

_**She went into the kitchen. 'My plan is working! GO ME!' Yoshino proceeded to do her own little victory dance. **_

_**Then the phone rang, 'Good they called.'**_

_**She picked up the phone and on the other end someone said, "So who do you think will get their bets repaved?" **_

_**Yes the mastermind behind the betting is none other than Yoshino who honestly had been planning this for months. **_

"_**Everything. I suppose it would be whom ever bet on Ino" **_

"_**Got it," said the other voice and they hung up. **_

'_**Naruto is going to announce it.' As if on cue there was a group chorus of 'DAMN IT!' Yoshino just laughed as she flicked on the hidden camera receiver she had set up to see all that goes on today.**_

_**What she saw was surprising...**_

_**End Recap**_

(A/N: I fixed up the story thanks to a tip by songbird21 I owe her a big thanks:)

_**With Yoshino**_

"Oh... My... God..." with that Yoshino burst out laughing.

Let's see what's going on!

_**With Shika**_

At this point in time Shikamaru had learned a very important lesson:

NEVER. I REPEAT, **NEVER** **EVER, EVER, EVER,** wait for a girl by being in her face. Why, some boys may ask? She will scream out PERVERT!! And will chase you around the room throwing shit at you... Well at least... Ino will.

"YOU PERV! I'M GONNA **KILL** **YOU!!**"

Shikamaru was just keeping out of her range, "Ino calm down... Ino calm down!... NO! INO PUT THE FUCKING CHAIR DOW- AHHH!!"

Shikamaru ducked to keep the oncoming chair from hitting him, and watched it sail over his head. However, He watched in horror as he saw what it was now going to hit. A glass deer, given to him by his grand father when he was a boy.

He was speechless when a huge CRACK filled the room. Shikamaru just dropped to his knees trying to pretend that just didn't happen. His last connection to his grandfather. Gone. His grandfather **never** let pictures be taken of him. No ways to remember his favorite elder who was one of the few to help motivate him.

Ino knew something was wrong the second the chair smashed into something. Shikamaru didn't move an inch. She looked up at what she had smashed. Her eyes widened at the sight. Yes, she knew about the glass deer. Shikamaru had mentioned it to her when they cloud watched together once.

' _What did I just d-'_ She stopped thinking as a sob came from Shikamaru

'_DAMN IT! I tried so hard! SO FUCKING HARD!! I **still** ended up CRYING LIKE A FUCKING BABY!!'_ Shikamaru thought angrily at himself. While Ino stood a few paces away from him. That sob he had let out wrenched at her heart, this was her fault. She felt the conviction to walk over to him... she did so. As she did she also knelt next to him. Shikamaru though, did not notice. At the time his eyes were welling up with tears.

Ino saw this and felt worse. It hurt so much to see him like this. Again it struck her that this was her fault. She wanted so much to comfort him. So she hugged him close and ran a comforting hand through his hair

"I'm sorry..." she whispered quietly to him. Meanwhile Shikamaru couldn't believe what was going on. Sure, maybe she would apologize, but so quickly? Even more so, she was hugging him, not a friendly hug but a lover's hug, AND she was calming him with her hand, relinquishing his sad thoughts of his grandfather's glass deer. He instead found himself melting into her warm and inviting embrace. After a few minutes he had noticed how close he was to Ino's 'assets' and his face turned a new shade of scarlet. He had retreated into his head and came face-to-face with his little devil.

'_**Yo.**'_ The devil had waved sheepishly, as if not expecting him to had been there.

Shikamaru though had always despised his two little shoulder people, _'What are you doing here?'_ he had replied to his devil coldly

Devil Shika shifted uncomfortably, _'**Uh...I lost a bet to Angel Shika... and now I have to give you advice and reveal my true station.**'_

Even the great genius Shikamaru did not know what the hell he meant, _'what the hell are you talking about?! Aren't you, like, evil?'_

Devil Shika laughed, **_'Idiot. Shows all you know. Okay –deep breath- I'm balance.'_**

Shikamaru was confused, but the more he thought about it the more it made sense. _'Yin and Yang_(1)_?' _he thought incredulously.

Devil Shika nodded, **_'Yep, now your damn good advice. KISS THE FUCKING GIRL!'_** With that Shikamaru's devil walked away cursing at everything he could see.

Shikamaru snapped back to reality for split second to see where Ino was. Then he delved deep into his mind. He could undoubtedly fathom mission plans, he could go through mental torture most people would want to commit suicide after and look back on it as a small workout. He could make plans to break into the Hokage Tower, cover it with graffiti, and come out unnoticed by even the smartest ANBU. Yet, he couldn't help but doubt himself in such a small thin as a kiss.

He mentally sighed, _'Fine I'll do it... how troublesome.'_

He leaned forward...

_**TBC**_

**_Ino- (calm state, reading story)_**

_**Valeria- Okay she's calm now to get away with ending it like th-**_

_**Ino- (finished reading ) ... YOU BITCH! YOU ENDED THE CHAPTER LIKE THAT!**_

_**Valeria- uh... duh. It's called suspense.**_

**_Ino- ... go to hell! (Chases her again)_**

**_Valeria- DAMN IT!! (Running) Okay 2 things before I go! _**

**_1- Authors note! (1) Yin and Yang is not good and evil. It is good and balance._**

_**2-I want to thank songbird21 for her critique on my story.**_

_**This is your Hispanic Hottie signing off 'till next time! vally27 ;P (p.s. I need at least 4 reviews before I will post the next chapter)**_


	7. Kisses And Misses Not To Mention War

_**Valeria- (running) HI!**_

_**Ino- (blind rage)**_

_**Valeria- (sits in tree) Hee-Hee. She's blind.**_

_**Shikamaru- No she's not.**_

**_Valeria- Yes she is! It says blind rage._**

_**Shikamaru- that just means she's locked all her sights on hurting and or killing you.**_

_**Valeria- ... oh...**_

**_Ino- (sitting next to her) yeah. _**

**_Valeria- ... (screams, jumps out of tree and runs) this chapter I'm gonna try to focus on a few couples at a time instead of just one. It's still gonna be mostly Shikaino so don't worry. Here's the recap!_**

_**RECAP**_

_He had retreated into his head and came face-to-face with his little devil._

'_**Yo.**' The devil had waved sheepishly, as if not expecting him to have been there._

_Shikamaru though had always despised his two little shoulder people, 'What are you doing here?' he had replied to his devil coldly_

_Devil Shika shifted uncomfortably, '**Uh...I lost a bet to Angel Shika... and now I have to give you advice and reveal my true station.**'_

_Even the great genius Shikamaru did not know what the hell he meant, 'what the hell are you talking about?! Aren't you, like, evil?'_

_Devil Shika laughed, **'Idiot. Shows all you know. Okay –deep breath- I'm balance.'**_

_Shikamaru was confused, but the more he thought about it the more it made sense. 'Yin and Yang (1)?' he thought incredulously._

_Devil Shika nodded, **'Yep, now your damn good advice. KISS THE FUCKING GIRL!'** With that Shikamaru's devil walked away cursing at everything he could see._

_Shikamaru snapped back to reality for split second to see where Ino was. Then he delved deep into his mind. He could undoubtedly fathom mission plans, he could go through mental torture most people would want to commit suicide after and look back on it as a small workout. He could make plans to break into the Hokage Tower, cover it with graffiti, and come out unnoticed by even the smartest ANBU. Yet, he couldn't help but doubt himself in such a small thing as a kiss._

_He mentally sighed, 'Fine I'll do it... how troublesome.'_

_He leaned forward..._

_**Chapter starts here.**_

... Too bad Ino had shifted a bit. And his face landed right between her breasts.

'_Oh, shit.'_ Shikamaru froze. Not his best idea I'll tell you that. He felt her move away from him. Then a huge blow hit his left cheek. Ino had smacked him. Hard.

'_THAT JERK!!'_ she shivered, _'wh-what if h-he only brought me up here to...'_

Disgusted she stood up quickly. Shikamaru though was still processing what the hell just happened. Angel Shika chose this moment to walk into his mind.

He sighed looking down, _'Okay. One... two... three...'_ he took a deep breath, _'... APOLIGIZE BEFORE SHE LEAVES YOU IDIOT!! DO YOU WANT HER TO HATE YOU?!?!!!!'_

Ino was half way across the room when Shikamaru jumped up. As she was about to get to the door she felt strong arms wrap around her waist she was pulled back into a bare, well sculpted chest. Then her emotions mixed. Surprise was evident at first. That melted away to timidity being so close to Shikamaru. She didn't want to let that show so she used the anger she held for what had just happened as a front.

"Let go," she commanded bluntly. She wanted to be far, far away from here and away from Shikamaru.

"How troublesome," he muttered as he turned her around. Ino let a look of confusion pass through her features as she was held tighter by him. She looked up at him in an attempt to see what he would do next. He looked very uncomfortable then he sighed.

"Ino I..." Shikamaru started. Ino's look of confusion turned into one of curiosity and acute hope.

Even Angel and Devil Shika came out to hear what he was about to say.

'_**Come on...**'_ they both whispered in his head.

Shikamaru looked so uncomfortable he could have had a stick up his ass and still felt more comfortable than at this moment.

"I-I... I'm sorry for what happened earlier..."

Angel and Devil Shika simultaneously yelled in his head, **_'YOU LOSER!!'_**

Ino smiled even though this was not what she expected him to say. Shikamaru flashed his lopsided grin at her which within a few seconds dissolved into his regular bored face. Ino pouted.

'_Hmm... How can I make his stupid idiotic bored expression go away... hmm... uhh...? I got it!' _She grinned evilly.

'_Huh?' _Shikamaru was very confused. For Ino, over the next few seconds, had changed her facial multiple times. It went from pouting to deep in thought, to happy... scary happy...

"Ino what's wr- mmph!" His eyes widened as she planted a sweet, but fleeting kiss on his lips. After a few seconds she pulled away blushing furiously. Shikamaru's bored exterior was not broken, no. It was shattered. He was now looked bashful and as if he wanted to hide under a rock. This was replaced with something else though. A sensation new to Shikamaru, hunger. Hunger for the lips he just faintly tasted. He felt it burn as if he needed it.

Controlling himself he felt a burst of courage rage through him. With a brave whisper he said what he had longed to say for a long time.

"Ino I love you, don't push me away please. I know I'm not Sasuke but I do know I'm much better than that unbelievable a-"

Ino silenced him with a quick kiss and staying in close she spoke to him.

"Don't worry Shika. I'm over him. And I only love you. Promise."

Shikamaru grinned at these words and quickly closed the gap between them kissing her deeply. As they made out a there was a poof as an ANBU squad member appeared in the room. He coughed to try and get their attention.

"Ahem. Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru and Ino broke apart quickly. Blushing, Shikamaru turned to face the ANBU member.

"Y-Yes?" Shikamaru said trying to control his blushing and his embarrassment.

The ANBU stated almost robotically, "Godiame-sama wants to see you... you may take the Yamanaka girl if you wish, it might make it easier on you."

"What does that mean?" Ino said quizzically.

The ANBU shrugged and he left with a small poof. Shikamaru sighed as he got his shirt and Chunin vest on.

"This is so troublesome."

After getting ready, Shikamaru nonchalantly offered Ino his arm so they could walk to the Hokage Tower. Ino took it happily and clung to his arm the whole way. A few steps ahead they saw Sasuke and Sakura talking about something. They couldn't make out the words but they were both blushing and Sakura put her hand up as if she were swearing some sort of oath. After this something happened that almost made everyone in the street either lose their footing or if you were a fan girl cry out in anger or grief. Sasuke and Sakura had kissed.

Ino's eye twitched and Shikamaru's had too. From their stance it looked like they were eating each others faces. Then the same ANBU that had interrupted their make-out session before had appeared next to them and halted them from 'eating each other's faces'. He said something to Sasuke and left. Sasuke took Sakura's hand and began to walk towards the Hokage Tower as well.

'_I guess Sasuke was told to go as well...'_ Shikamaru thought. Ino tugged on his arm and he looked at her. She pointed over to a poster and seemed to be getting angry. Shikamaru looked where she was pointing and his eyes narrowed as a scowl formed on his face. There was a poster promoting a betting ring. On them! He stormed over to the poster and tore it down and began to read it this is what it had said:

_Come on down to the Naruto Uzumaki & Yoshino Nara Betting Roof!_

_Located: across from the Nara compound._

_Betting on: The relationship between Ino Yamanaka & Shikamaru Nara!_

_Betting begins: 0900 hours_

_Betting ends: When one side wins!_

_For extra information contact: Yoshino Nara OR Naruto Uzumaki._

Shikamaru glared at the paper. Ino who had been beside him reading as well was furious.

'_Naruto is dead.'_ They thought simultaneously. After a few seconds of sending off a killer intent he remembered he needed to go. So he offered his arm to Ino again as they continued on towards the Hokage Tower.

_**At The Tower **_

When the two entered the waiting room they saw their friends... and blond haired boy who would get his ass kicked if it were not for Hinata Hyuuga being in the room. Just then the doors to the Hokage office opened and there was Tsunade.

"Come in boys," She motioned to them. Everyone started walking towards the room.

"Only boys. This briefing is for them." Tsunade corrected.

The boys walked in and Tsunade shut the door behind them.

--------------

An hour later the boys came out with hard looks on their faces. Ino approached Shikamaru, "What's wrong?"

Shikamaru's face changed considerably into a sad one, "The Sound has declared war and we're being sent out."

"When do we leave?"

Shikamaru corrected her," We," he gestured to the boys, "leave within the hour." He couldn't look her in the eye. It hurt too much.

Ino though cocked her head in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Shikamaru tool a deep breath for strength, "You're staying behind, all the kunoichi's are to take care of the village."

Ino was quiet taking it all in as the other girls shouted protests. Shikamaru just raised his hand.

"It's already been decided. Good bye."

The boys walked solemnly out of the building holding back tears knowing that they might not come back.

_End arc 1_

_**Valeria- (locks herself in safe house)**_

**_Ino- (slamming on the door) I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!!!_**

**_Valeria- (has ear plugs in writing the beginning of next arc) (turns on automated signature ending machine) this is your Hispanic Hottie signing off 'till next time! vally27 ;P_**


	8. Home Coming pt1

**_Valeria- I have returned! And with Arc 2!!! Hopefully this will be the serious chapter I want it to be. (Unlocking steel safe house)_**

**_Ino- (waiting patiently) finally!_**

**_Valeria- Yep! _**

_**Ino- Well? Start the story!!**_

_**Valeria- OK! Here's the recap!**_

_**RECAP:**_

_The doors to the Hokage office opened and there was Tsunade. _

"_Come in boys," She motioned to them. Everyone started walking towards the room._

"_Only boys. This briefing is for them." Tsunade corrected._

_The boys walked in and Tsunade shut the door behind them._

_--------------_

_An hour later the boys came out with hard looks on their faces. Ino approached Shikamaru, "What's wrong?"_

_Shikamaru's face changed considerably into a sad one, "The Sound has declared war and we're being sent out."_

"_When do we leave?"_

_Shikamaru corrected her," We," he gestured to the boys, "leave within the hour." He couldn't look her in the eye. It hurt too much._

_Ino though cocked her head in confusion, "What do you mean?"_

_Shikamaru took a deep breath for strength, "You're staying behind, all the kunoichi's are to take care of the village."_

_Ino was quiet taking it all in, as the other girls shouted protests. Shikamaru just raised his hand for silence._

"_It's already been decided. Good bye."_

_The boys walked solemnly out of the building holding back tears knowing that they might not come back._

_End arc 1_

_**Arc 2... BEGINS!! ;P**_

War. It kills, tears families apart, it can even force brother on brother. But for the last regiment coming home from fighting after a little over three years, it caused nothing but a pain in all their hearts. The civilians cheered wildly as their friends and family came home. The men whom were coming in though, just winced as they knew what would come as the last of the ninjas' came in.

--------------

Ino stood with Ten-Ten, Sakura, and Hinata at the gates watching the men coming home and their families running forward to embrace their loved ones. Hinata squealed as Naruto came in through the gates, head bowed. She followed the suit of the people mentioned before, and ran forward to meet him.

--------------

Naruto was walking, a small brace on his arm, into the village. It didn't hurt thanks to the Kyubi. Naruto face turned stoic as he saw sons being embraced by their mothers. His heart ached seeing this, never himself having the love of a mother.

'_I have Hinata though.'_

'_**Yeah kit, you do, but she'll leap away with disgust when she figures out about me.'**_

Naruto winced knowing it might be true,_ 'Shut up you damn fox.'_

He looked around frowning not catching one glimpse of his blue-haired beauty. Only the hateful glares of the villagers, he just stared at the ground trying to control the pain in his heart. He then heard the pitter-patter of someone approaching him and he raised his head a bit to see who it was. His eyes met with the beautiful Hyuga heiress, blue hair waving in the wind as she ran towards him with great speed.

And she showed no intention of slowing down... that is until she saw sadness in the eyes of her blonde loud-mouth. She stopped about a foot away from him and outstretched her hand cupping his cheek as she spoke softly.

"What's wrong Naru-kun?"

Naruto's eyes changed as he heard those words, they once again held warmth, and a glow of happiness.

"Nothing Hina-chan."

He stepped forward quickly and hugged her warmly. She smiled and returned the hug happily. Naruto ran his hand through her silky locks as he buried his head in the crook of her neck taking in her scent. The scent he had been deprived for a long three years.

"I've missed you so much Hinata," Naruto whispered to her tightening the hug.

Hinata smile grew as he spoke and she whispered back, "so have I."

Naruto stepped back to inspect how three years had gone for Hinata. Immediately his jaw dropped at studying the girl in front of him, err... well technically she wasn't a girl anymore but a beautiful woman with nice curves. Hinata blushed lightly under his scrutiny and let her gaze wander. Her blush grew in intensity as her eyes roamed the blonde's body. His shirt looked ready to rip as his arms were teaming with muscles. But they weren't the muscles of a body builder, uh-uh. These were hard earned from discipline and hard battles. Not only that but he had, at least, a good half a foot.

They both smiled shyly at each other when Naruto suddenly remembered some thing.

"Is Ino Here?!"

"Why?"

"Well..."

--------------

The girls all smiled as Hinata ran off. They were being happy for her and wondering how their rejoice with the boys would go. Sakura stood on her tip-toes scanning the crowds for chicken-butt shaped raven hair (1). Her eyes lit up as she saw the chicken-butt shaped raven hair that she had been looking for advancing towards her.

--------------

Sasuke was happy, to say it openly. He had killed both of his greatest enemies, with the help of his brothers.

'_When did I begin considering them that... heh, it was probably after the shot party, when Naruto burnt his ass...'_

The Uchiha laughed out, until he was sobered up due to a painful memory of war.

'_I sure hope Ino won't take it too hard...'_

He scanned the crowd for the girl he had come to love as he discovered through the letters they had sent each other. He smirked as he saw her standing on her tip-toes most likely looking for him. After studying her once over he could only think of one word to describe what he saw.

'_Damn...'_

He regained his composure and strode over casually, smiling when he and sakura made eye contact. Of course his heart quickened as his piercing black eyes met her warm emerald eyes. Sakura walked forward to greeting him with a loving embrace. Sasuke smiled and returned the embrace just as lovingly. He parted a bit and brought a hand to her chin. Sakura smiled up at the Uchiha and waited for him to do something.

"You're beautiful," he muttered and he caught her lips in a kiss.

For Sakura time stopped, and they were just there, as the world went on without them. He kissed her deeply breaking only after needing air. They calmed their breaths and smiled at each other and then flinched as he heard gasps rise around, then Ino cry out and Ten-Ten look on in shock.

'_Shit.'_

--------------

Ino was standing with Ten-Ten looking at the gate as the body bags were marched in. There were only a few about 20-30 very small for a three year war. But what caught their attention was the last one. It was covered in the sound village's battle standard (2) as a sign of honor for those who died taking it. There in the bag laid Chouji, if it were not for his pale skin you would have thought he was just asleep.

Walking Just behind the stretcher were the last four ninja's to re-enter the village. Only two of them were actually noticed though, Neji Hyuga whom had his forehead protector off showing but a small scar where his seal used to be. A gasp rose up as on-lookers noticed. It got louder as they saw whom he was helping to walk.

It was Shikamaru. He had deep wounds which were bleeding freely. He was arguing with the other two behind him whom had smaller wounds but they were still bleeding.

"I REFUSE, DO YOU HEAR ME! REFUSE TO HAVE ANY MORE CASUALTIES! DO YOU UNDER STAND!" Shikamaru yelled with the last of his strength.

He was suddenly falling towards the ground. The last sound he heard was a cry. Then his world went black.

--------------

Neji yelled for help as Shikamaru crumpled to the floor. The two ninja Shikamaru was arguing with before rushed forward and lifted up him up and the four poofed to the hospital leaving behind a sobbing Ino and a shocked Ten-Ten.

Everyone near Ino winced at the pain in Ino's voice. Ten-Ten finally snapped out of her shock and put a calming hand on Ino's shoulder and began to lead her in the direction of the hospital four others also broke away from the crowd and walked with them.

--------------

_**Valeria- HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CLIFFY!!!!!!!!!!**_

_**Ino- I HATE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!**_

_**Shikamaru- ... I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!**_

_**Valeria- heh-heh... uh... well... you might... if Ero and I can't come up with some thing... BYE!!!!!!!!!!**_

**_P.S. remember to REVIEW!!_**

_**Vally27**_


	9. Home Coming Pt2

**_Valeria- HI!! Uhh… I forgot to do author's notes last time… heh-heh…. Okay well for (1) I say Sasuke has hair like a chicken's ass! I mean look at it!!_**

_**Sasuke- (glaring) I'll kill you.**_

**_Valeria- heh… uhh… MOVING ON!! (2) A battle standard is a flag which is used and often honored as a formal, visual symbol of a state, prince, military unit, etc. And in wars those who capture it are honored as brave heroes, either in death or in life it doesn't matter. …so sad…_**

_**Chouji- HELL YEAH IT IS!! YOU KILLED ME!!**_

_**Valeria- no. it was the readers… oh well! Onward to the recap!**_

_**Recap**_

_**Neji yelled for help as Shikamaru crumpled to the floor. The two ninja Shikamaru was arguing with before rushed forward and lifted up him up and the four poofed to the hospital leaving behind a sobbing Ino and a shocked Ten-Ten.**_

**_Everyone near Ino winced at the pain in her voice. Ten-Ten finally snapped out of her shock and put a calming hand on Ino's shoulder and began to lead her in the direction of the hospital four others also broke away from the crowd and walked with them._**

_**End Recap**_

They walked in silence not one person daring to speak in fear Ino might lose it. Said person was walking slowly towards the hospital, appearing as if she had died. They finally approached the hospital after what had seemed like hours. As they walked in Neji was sitting calmly in the lobby.

He caught sight of Ten-Ten and stood quickly, he strode over to her tiredly, his weariness showing. Ten-Ten embraced him tightly, causing him to smile a tired smile. He took a look over at Ino and he almost showed shock at the pain he saw in her eyes.

He thought a bit and let out very relieving words to Ino, "He'll be okay. He was just very exhausted."

Ino nodded in gratitude, allowing a small smile. There was a long silence which was broken by a question.

"How did he get that way?" Ino inquired softly.

Neji thought back and began his story of today's earlier events.

_Flashback_

_Shikamaru and I walked solemnly behind the dead. Shikamaru had not spoken since Chouji had died in the final battle against sound. He would just write down his orders and hand them to me to announce. There were to other subordinates walking with them none of them daring to speak, in fear Shikamaru would try his new attacks on them as he did the last soldier who wouldn't leave him alone._

"HOLD ON!" Ino interrupted, "When did he get new moves?!"

Neji sighed, "He'll tell you that just let me tell the damn story!"

_We kept walking when Shikamaru spoke for the first time in days out of urgency._

"_Neji use your byakugan and look around."_

_I nodded and did what I was told. I immediately discovered that at least 10 Sound ninja were surrounding us and closing in. I warned Shikamaru and he ordered the army to go on full march and told the two subordinates to get ready to fight._

_As soon the army was gone from sight the stragglers jumped out and began to monologue about how they were going to get revenge and shit. Shikamaru just slipped into his fighting stance as did I. I took out two when Shikamaru began using one of the stronger of his attacks. _

"_MOVE BACK!" He yelled as he used it._

_I got out of range but the subordinates were to close. The sound ninja were dead and the subordinates were harmed. Shikamaru was covered in wounds, as is the consequence of using this technique. We recovered a bit and called back a healer. He had only enough chakra to heal small wounds, or to heal one big wound. The subordinates offered the help to Shikamaru but he just waved it off. This led to the heated argument that was going on as we entered the gates and I guess he used up to much energy._

_End Flashback_

"And there you have it. Shikamaru didn't want any more of the subordinates to die so he walked a mile bleeding freely." Neji finished.

Ino's eye twitched in anger and frustration. Why would he do that?! She sighed knowing it was not the time. And then a question tore at her heart.

"H-how did Chouji…" she couldn't finish the statement, her teammate and best friend was dead.

Neji winced. He knew this question was going to come from someone.

"He and Shikamaru took control of the left flank and charged on the standard bearer and his guards. They made quick work of them, and when Chouji took the battle standard a trap went of and a numbing dart hit Shikamaru. He couldn't move so the sound ninja sent a huge amount of kunai at him. On impulse Chouji took the hit for him and was struck dead. That was when Shikamaru discovered his bloodline limit. He somehow unnumbed himself and killed all the enemies in sight. He believes he is responsible for Chouji's death," Neji said sadly.

Ino let tears leak out of her eyes in mourning of her teammate and sobbed softly as the pain in her heart grew and shrank. No one moved to comfort her for she needed to mourn. When she finished they all sat in the lobby lounge thingy and they discussed what had happened in Konoha over the three years the boys had been gone with Ino talking sparingly.

--------------

They all had fallen asleep in the lobby, by order of the Hokage the staff had let them remain there as long as they wanted. A doctor approached the sleeping form of Ino Yamanaka. He shook her lightly and she stirred.

"Huh?" She said as she rubbed her eyes of sleepiness.

The doctor smiled at her, "Our patient won't take his meds until a woman by the name of Ino Yamanaka, would you know where I could find her?"

"May I know who this patient is?" she said trying to keep the excitement and hope from her voice.

The doctor nodded, "It is the Kage Hikyuu (A/N- Brave shadow warrior)."

"Who's that?" Ino said dumbstruck

"You don't know?! Oh, of course! Only the army knows his nick name! It is Nara-sama!" The doctor told her.

Ino was still a bit tired and her brain wasn't functioning that well, "Nara?"

"Nara. You know Nara, Shikamaru, The great strategist, the Kage Hikyuu." The doctor said being a bit confused that she would not know him.

But as soon as he had said Shikamaru's name her brain cleared up and she was focused.

"I'm Ino Yamanaka." She stated.

The doctor nodded and told her to follow him. She stood and both of them walked to Shikamaru's hospital room where Shikamaru was wearily holding a nurse with his shadow. He saw Ino and released the nurse. The nurse glared at him and quickly gave him a dose of Alacline a med to help the healing process. She walked out with a 'humph!'

The whole time he hadn't taken off his eyes off Ino. The doctor had already left leaving the two alone.

"So…" Ino started as she walked to Shikamaru's bed side.

Shikamaru didn't speak. He just gazed into her eyes. Ino returned the stare and almost gasped at the pain in Shikamaru's eyes. Not only pain though, there was a great sadness. Ino frowned and stroked his cheek lovingly.

He smiled weakly, as if it was the first time that he had in a long time. It probably was anyway. He clasped her hand in his and squeezed lightly. Ino's smile returned and squeezed back.

Suddenly Shikamaru's sadness came back, "Ino?"

"Yes?" she answered softly.

He drew a shaky breath, "Chouji's gone."

"I know," she replied.

Tears filled his eyes, "It was my fault."

"No it wasn't," she whispered in a soothing voice.

"But he took the hit for me…" he said the tears rolling down his cheeks.

"He did; but, would he want you to blame yourself?" she asked him.

There was a short silence then he answered, "I don't know."

Ino nodded, "Well, he wouldn't. He would want you to be happy. To go on living for him, his best friend!"

Shikamaru nodded slowly at first, but he nodded faster smiling as he knew she was right. Ino smiled back, hugging him. Shikamaru's smile widened and he returned the hug, the blankets sliding down to his lower legs. ONLY THEN DID INO NOTICE SOME THING IMPORTANT!!

Shikamaru had on ONLY BOXERS!! (SQUEE!!)

Ino blushed horribly and fainted from all the blood rushing to her cheeks. (sorta Hinataish but hey it works.)

Shikamaru held her fast so she wouldn't fall, "How troublesome," he muttered.

He carefully lifted her into the hospital bed and scooted over so she could lay comfortably. He took the time to look her over again.

'_She's gotten even more beautiful. We have a lot to catch up on… she looks so peaceful…'_ he thought.

He carefully reached over and brushed a lock of her out of eyes. He admired her flawless face and cupped her cheek.

"How the hell did I get so lucky?" He wondered out loud.

Ino opened one eye, "'Cause you're a sweet guy idiot."

Shikamaru laughed and kissed her cheek. She pouted and pulled him in for a kiss. His arms clumsily wrapping around her waist, not having kissed in three years. Her arms wrapping around his neck deepening the kiss.

They broke apart having needed air and smiled at each other. Ino placed her hand on Shikamaru's chest and he winced.

She immediately pulled her hand back, "I'm sorry!"

Shikamaru shook his head, "Don't worry."

Ino nodded, and then she remembered that Shikamaru had learned new techniques.

"Shika, can you show me your new techniques?"

Shika nodded and was about to get up when a huge crash came from outside.

Then a booming voice yelled, "NEJI HYUUGA PREPARE TO BE KILLED FOR YOUR CRIMES!!"

--------------

ANOTHER CLIFFY!! Uhh… If you can guess who it is I'll mention you in my new acknowledgements section.

Acknowledgements- This chapter was dedicated to my best friend Chelsey Johnson who has sadly moved away… (CRYING!! TTTT)

REMEMBER TO **_REVIEW!!_**

_Vally27_


	10. The Fox Is Out Of The Bag

**_Valeria- HECK YES!! I AM SO ENERGIZED AND HAPPY!!!!!!_**

_**Ino- why?**_

_**Valeria- I got so many reviews!! And I finally got my first quiz on Quizilla up!**_

_**Ino- After 3 months.**_

_**Valeria- You be quiet! It's hard!**_

_**Ino- whatever. Just write the damn story.**_

_**Valeria- (glares) fine I will! Oh! Wait! Remember the cookie question thingy I said I would do?**_

_**Ino- (nods)**_

**_Valeria- WELL… no one got it right… but everyone who did, gets an honorable mention! And one last thing. Just to satiate 'RubberDuckiesWhoLikePieAndCake' fears, no Neji is not a bad guy._**

_**Recap**_

_**Ino nodded, and then she remembered that Shikamaru had learned new techniques.**_

"_**Shika, can you show me your new techniques?"**_

_**Shika nodded and was about to get up when a huge crash came from outside.**_

_**Then a booming voice yelled, "NEJI HYUUGA PREPARE TO BE KILLED FOR YOUR CRIMES!!"**_

--------------

Shikamaru got up as quick as he could without hurting himself. He began to run towards the lobby with Ino. When they arrived Neji was being held up by his neck by none other than Hiashi Hyuuga.

"YOU DAMN BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU FORSAKE YOUR SEAL!!?" The elder Hyuuga yelled.

Neji was just limply hanging there. He could not strike his uncle and Hiashi knew this well. Hinata and Ten-Ten were frozen not knowing what to do. Sasuke and Sakura were standing by if it got too out of hand. Naruto though couldn't take Neji not striking back so he ran forward to tackle the old man. Hiashi just laughed as he activated his byakugan. He threw Neji down and turned to face Naruto. Hiashi's laugh quickly died when Naruto's fist made contact with his stomach.

"You –cough- bastard." Hiashi said doubling over from the pain he had just felt.

Naruto glared down at him. Sakura walked forward to help Neji as did Ten-Ten. When suddenly a hand gripped itself around Naruto's ankle and pulled it forward. He lost his balance and fell backwards. His head struck the floor with a big crack. Hiashi sneered as he raised himself up. Sasuke activated the sharingan but was beat to the punch as some one rushed towards Hiashi with anger seemingly rolling off of them.

That person believe it or not was the very heir to the Hyuuga clan. Hinata Hyuuga.

Hiashi's eyes widened in surprise as he was hit with a savage jyuuken right in the gut. He flew back a stream of blood running down the side of his mouth. He hit a wall and slumped down it.

"You whore," He muttered as he spat blood from his mouth.

Hinata paid no heed and quickly began to heal Naruto's head wound. When she noticed something strange… well at least to her. The wound was healing abnormally fast. Naruto's eyes opened and he smiled sheepishly.

"I should have paid more attention to him." He muttered.

Hinata nodded. Hiashi began to lose his temper when he remembered something that he could use as ammo. A dark secret in which no one is supposed to utter to the younger generation. His logic was long gone, and replaced with savage anger and hatred. Hatred for his nephew whom unsealed himself and defied ancient tradition, hatred for the demon boy who has turned his own daughter against him. With the anger clouding his mind he smirked cruelly and shouted out something that should never been said.

"HE IS THE CONTAINER OF THE KYUUBI!" He yelled.

Time froze for everyone. Naruto's eyes went wide and he subconsciously tensed. Hinata looked at the old man who just shouted.

Hiashi sneered as he cruelly announced Naruto's darkest secret, "He is the container of the Kyuubi. He is the demon child. The forth was a weakling. He couldn't kill the Kyuubi only seal him in a child. Naruto Uzumaki is that child. He is a fucking demon."

Shikamaru felt the air in the room tense as everyone turned their eyes toward Naruto.

'**_Hah, they know now kit. They know now.' _**Kyuubi's words echoed in his head.

Hinata looked down at Naruto seeking an explanation. She never got one as Naruto just poofed as he transported from the scene. Hiashi laughed evilly and coughed up more blood.

"He is nothing but a demon he turned you, my own daughter against me. Now everything will be better Hinata. Find him and tell him how you hate him." Hiashi said expecting a nod of obedience from her.

In its place came a glare that could kill. The hatred in the girl's eyes was so out of place and never seen. It chilled Hiashi to the bone. Everyone in the room though still was in shock.

Shikamaru was the first to snap out of it but made no move to show it.

'_The power he showed during the battle with Orochimaru… It all makes sense now…'_ He thought.

Sasuke and Neji thought that as well. Sasuke though felt a twinge of hurt. Why would his brother keep it from him?

Sasuke's twinge of hurt was nothing though to the pain Hinata felt.

'_Why would he not tell me? Did I show any sign of hatred towards him? …Why?' _Hinata angered again.

'_It's father's fault. We were happy and father ruined it. Ever since Naruto left he's been trying to ruin it. I hate him.'_ Hinata thought angrily.

Hiashi stood up leaning against the wall hoping to get away before they could recover from the shock. ANBU though quickly seized him.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Hiashi yelled.

The ANBU said in an official tone, "You are under arrest for disturbance in a hospital and assaulting fellow ninja and war heroes."

Hiashi scowled and tried to break free of their grip only to be knocked out from a well placed chop to the neck.

The ANBU saluted Neji, Sasuke, and Shikamaru then disappeared. Shikamaru and Ino joined their group of friends.

"You should go after him Hinata." Shikamaru stated.

Hinata looked at him angrily.

Shikamaru just shrugged, "Fine, don't go after Naruto, just let him do something he'll regret."

Hinata's face softened, "I thought you were speaking of my father. I apologize. As for going after him, I was just about to."

Shikamaru nodded, and leaned on Ino for support as Hinata ran past them and out of the hospital.

--------------

'_She knows, She probably hates me…' _A man cried atop the Hokage monument.

'**_Not probably. She does. Now give me control, let your pain go and let me destroy.' _**Kyuubi said tauntingly cruel.

Naruto sat quietly actually pondering it…

--------------

I think this chapter was crap. It took three days. After writing the Intro I got writers block so I'm sorry for this chapter. I'll make the next one much better.


	11. Marry Me?

**_WOOT!!X2 YOU PPL. RESTORED MY CONFIDENCE! I LOVE YOU ALL!! ….(looks at camera) is it off? … I love all of my readers but hell that was annoying… welll…Thank you to all the reviewers, you keep me writing. Now… ONWARD!!_**

_**Recap**_

'**_She knows, she probably hates me…' A man cried atop the Hokage monument._**

'_**Not probably. She does. Now give me control, let your pain go and let me destroy.' Kyuubi said tauntingly cruel.**_

_**Naruto sat quietly actually pondering it…**_

--------------

'…_Fine. What do I have left anyway?'_

'**_Nothing.'_** Kyuubi announced cruelly.

With tears in his eyes Naruto rose to his feet.

'_What do I have to do fox?'_

'**_Just come close to death and cut your seal. The quickest way would probably be… jumping off of here.'_** Kyuubi said eagerly.

Naruto slowly approached the edge and looked over down towards the city. Anger entered his eyes, as did hatred for the villagers who shunned him for having a burden thrust upon him.

'**_I promise to kill them all.'_** Kyuubi smiled.

'_Not Hinata.'_ Naruto thought quickly.

'_Or Tsunade, Ero-Sennin, Iruka, Sasuke or any of my other friends.'_

'**_Fine whatever just jump.'_**

And that's what Naruto did.

--------------

'_Where is he?!' _Hinata screamed in her head while running around the city looking for her blond person.

She was passing by the monument when someone screamed and pointed up towards the top of the monument. Hinata followed the finger and gasped.

"NARUTO!" she shrieked running towards the base of the monument.

As she arrived he hit.

_**-CRACK-**_

He had landed on his side and tipped to the side leaving him on his back. His arm bent backwards, bone sticking out of the bleeding flesh. Hinata resisted the urge to throw up and kept running towards him.

"NARUTO!" she shrieked again.

--------------

'_S-so much pain…' _

Naruto grit his teeth at the mountain of pain coursing through him. He slowly, with his uninjured arm, took out a kunai from his leg hoister and held it level with the seal on his stomach. But he dropped it when someone screamed his name.

'**_DAMN IT! WHAT NOW!?'_** Kyuubi growled.

"H-hinata?" Naruto whispered in disbelief.

He couldn't believe that Hinata would come after him, let alone scream out his name in worry.

She kneeled next to him and began to cry.

"Idiot! What were you thinking!?" She choked out.

Naruto winced at her words.

"I can't lose you Naruto," She cried desperately.

'**_DON'T LISTEN KIT! SHE'S TRYING TO TRICK YOU!'_** Kyuubi tried to lie.

Naruto growled mentally, _'LIAR! FUCK YOU, YOU DAMN FOX!'_ Naruto blocked off his mind to Kyuubi.

He reached up and stroked Hinata's cheek before passing out from blood-loss.

--------------

It had been an hour since the incident. Naruto and Neji were both accepted into the hospital, and had been operated on quickly to fix up his arm. Sasuke and Sakura left after some coaxing that everything would be fine here and that they would be informed of everyone's health later.

Ino walked with Shikamaru back towards his hospital room and couldn't helped notice the way he walked. He walked like a man who had been through hell and back and is just now recovering. No longer did he slouch though. He walked standing tall, proud, yet at the same time he looked so tired.

'_I'll talk to him in his room.' _Ino thought.

They walked in silence all the way back.

--------------

Sakura and Sasuke walked side by side in a peaceful silence just enjoying each other's company when it abruptly came to an end. They had come to the front door of Sakura's apartment.

"Well, bye I guess," Sasuke said a bit of disappointment identifiable in his voice.

Sakura bit her lip, her boyfriend just got back and they're about going to part again. She took a breath.

"Do you want to come in?" She asked bashfully.

Sasuke smiled.

"I'd like that." He answered quietly.

Sakura opened the door to her apartment and stepped in as did Sasuke. It was a small and quaint. It had a nice homely feeling to it.

"You can sit if you want," Sakura said smiling, "I'm going to go change."

Sasuke nodded and sat on the couch, sighing as the soft cushions relieved his aching muscles. He sat looking around the living room. He smiled when he saw a picture of team seven when they were younger. He kept looking around and did not notice the pink haired woman sneaking up from behind… Or did he!

Sakura dived at him at an attempt to catch Sasuke off guard and get a laugh out of it when he turned right towards her and caught her easily.

"You're no fun Sasuke-kun!" Sakura said pouting.

Sasuke laughed and smiled down at her, plopping down on the couch. Sakura smiled brightly and held his cheek.

'_Her hand is so soft…'_ Sasuke thought nuzzling the hand caressing his cheek.

"You've changed a lot Sasuke," Sakura stated softly.

"Hn." Sasuke replied.

"There he is," Sakura said playfully.

Sasuke smiled again.

"But really Sasuke you've changed, you look so much happier, I like it," Sakura told him.

Sasuke's smile turned into a smirk, "Well I've completed the first stage of my plan as an avenger. Now I only need step 2, to repopulate the Uchiha clan."

Sakura blushed as he continued, "I can't do that alone well can I? And I say you're the best candidate for it."

Sasuke laughed at her expression and brought his lips to hers in a passionate kiss.

--------------

Neji opened his eyes heavily.

'_Damn…Where am I?'_

He turned his head slightly to the left to get a look and saw Ten-Ten sitting in a chair by the bed side, asleep. He smiled, she looked so peaceful. He reached out and stroked her cheek lovingly. Ten-Ten opened her eyes and gazed at her boyfriend.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Hey," he whispered back.

"You feeling better?" Ten-Ten asked wincing as she sat up pain from being slouched over coursing up her back.

"Are you okay?!" Neji said sitting up, eyes and voice holding worry.

Ten-Ten nodded, "I'll be fine. Just a bit of pain from being an idiot and sit-sleeping."

She laughed, trying to cover up the pain from a crick in neck.

Neji frowned and scooted over to make space for her.

"Come on," he said a small smirk on his face.

Ten-Ten blushed in embarrassment, Neji could read her so well.

"Well?" he asked motioning to the spot he reserved for her.

Ten-Ten blushed more and laid next to him, resting her head on his chest comfortably. Neji smiled and kissed the top of her head. Ten-Ten giggled and snuggled in closer into him. Neji smiled more and stroked her hair.

"I love you," He whispered into her ear.

"I love you too," Ten-Ten replied.

They held each other closer and they were soon asleep.

--------------

They entered Shikamaru's room and sat side by side on Shikamaru's bed. He offered Ino his arm to snuggle which she gladly accepted.

"Shikamaru?" Ino said breaking the comfortable silence.

Shikamaru turned his head to meet her eyes, and she again saw that same tiredness in his eyes.

"What else is going on?" She asked quietly.

He tensed. He had hoped that this conversation wouldn't come until later. He sighed.

"Ino… what would you do if I asked you to do something that would change our lives forever…" He said looking at the ceiling.

"It depends on what it is." She answered quietly.

Shikamaru gulped and whispered into her ear, "Marry me."

--------------

_**MWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH- -cough, cough, hack, cough- (Uses inhaler) I'm okay! Well… Aren't I just EVIL for leaving it off there? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! NOW ONWARD SNIFFLES!! ONWARD AND OVER THE RAINBOW!!!**_

This was a vally27 production. Story made possible by all her awesome reviewers. Keep on keeping on, and have a nice day. P.S. For future reference I do not use an inhaler.


	12. Explanations

HI!! So I'm happy! Yet annoyed at the same time. I'm happy 'because I got a new phone to replace my other one which broke. Yet I'm annoyed because… SPRING BREAK IS OVER!!! CURSE YOU FLORIDA! XP I've had a ton of reports to do so I'm sorry for the wait. NOW FORWARD SNUFFLES!! FORWARD TO THE RECAP!!

Snuffles- I apologize for my master. She got hocked up on sugar.

Valeria- BE QUIET SNUFFLES AND ONWARD!! (As a warning there will be some sexual themes toward the end of the chapter. NO LEMON OR LIME!! …Maybe as a side story though…)

_**RECAP**_

_**They entered Shikamaru's room and sat side by side on Shikamaru's bed. He offered Ino his arm to snuggle which she gladly accepted.**_

"_**Shikamaru?" Ino said breaking the comfortable silence.**_

_**Shikamaru turned his head to meet her eyes and she again saw that same tiredness in his eyes.**_

"_**What else is going on?" She asked quietly.**_

_**He tensed. He had hoped that this conversation wouldn't come until later. He sighed.**_

"_**Ino… what would you do if I asked you to do something that would change our lives forever…" He said looking at the ceiling.**_

"_**It depends on what it is." She answered quietly.**_

_**Shikamaru gulped and whispered into her ear, "Marry me."**_

--------------

Ino's eyes widened, her breath caught fast in her throat, she couldn't speak as her mind tried to make sense of what he just asked.

Shikamaru though took the silence as a no and he felt he had to explain himself.

"I-I'm sorry it's just that I love you so much, and… something happened in Suna."

Ino turned to face him still in slight shock.

He continued, "I led the winning troop defending them and well Gaara being the kazekage thought I deserved something for my bravery, when Temari piped up. She said I deserved a woman."

Ino's eyes narrowed she had an idea where this was going.

He kept talking, "Gaara thought it was a splendid idea and asked if she had any ideas who."

Ino found her voice but tried hard to keep the anger and anxiety to know out of it, "Who?"

"Herself." He stated simply.

Ino grew enraged and then a thought hit her, "What did you say?"

He looked kind of embarrassed, "I said I was already to be wed… to you."

Ino's face went as red as a tomato and she tried to put up a front, "Baka! Why didn't you just tell her you didn't want her!?"

Shikamaru shivered, "Her brothers was glaring at me the whole time I was trying to think my way out of it I was unnerved! And Gaara said if he found out I'm lying when he comes to visit Konoha, he'll tear my limbs of my body with his sand."

Ino frowned and took his hands.

"So are you done explaining?" She asked.

Shikamaru nodded, fear of rejection running through his head as Ino stayed silent for a few seconds.

Ino looked down at his hands rubbing his palms with her thumbs. Their skins were so different. Hers were so soft, while his skin was callused and rough. Her mind flashed through all the good times they had when they were younger. All the easy times. Every time he would cradle her when she would cry, the times he went out of his way to make sure she was okay.

She smiled to herself.

"So where's the ring Shika-kun?" she asked mischievously smiling up at him.

"Huh?" he said not understanding.

"I want a ring for people to see that we're engaged!" Ino said cutely.

Shikamaru's brain slowly processed this new information and when it was done his jaw dropped. Happiness chasing away the grisly memories of war, the tiredness that had plagued him since the war's first battle.

He enveloped Ino in a hug, "I'll get you it as soon as I'm paid. The prettiest one there, I promise."

Ino smiled and hugged him back, both of them thinking of their futures.

-------------- _A few days later._

'_Oowww …I can't feel my arm…' _

Naruto lifted his head and looked at his arm, which happened to be hung up in a cast. He looked around the bright white room.

'_Argh, I hate hospitals… Where's Hinata?'_

His eyes wandered the room but he found no one.

'_I don't blame her… after what I did…I almost killed myself because I didn't want to face her about Kyuubi bastard.'_

He laid his head back and just rested it there, happy that Kyuubi didn't try to invade his thoughts.

The silence in the room was broken when the door creaked open with only the slightest amount of noise. Still Naruto's sensitive ears picked it up; he looked to the door to see Hinata neatly freshened up and holding a big duffle bag but still looking terribly tired and worried, but her face changed considerably when she saw Naruto looking at her. She smiled happily and walked over to him desperately not trying to run over to him and start yelling.

"Are you ok Naru-kun?" Hinata whispered.

Naruto nodded slowly as a burning made its way into his throat.

"Do you have water?" He rasped.

Hinata sighed soundlessly; relieved greatly that Naruto was okay. She got him the water and waited silently for him to finish.

As he did Hinata asked him, "Are you comfortable?"

Naruto nodded, "Yeah."

Hinata smiled again, "Good."

She was quiet for a moment and then she death glared at Naruto, "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!?!?!?! I WAS SCARED! YOU ALMOST DIED!!"

She stopped and tears ran down her face as she sobbed quietly.

Naruto carefully and quickly lifted his casted arm off of the small net thingy and sat up at the end of the bed. Hinata still stood near the door her tears still running down her cheeks. Her eyes were closed just wanting to cry out her fears, just get them out of her system, that Naruto would not be okay.

She felt an arm wrap around her and the familiar warmth of Naruto's body calming her down as he hugged her with his good arm

"I'm so sorry for scaring you Hina-chan; it's just that I thought you would hate me after finding out…" Naruto said in a weak voice that sounded nothing like him.

Hinata shivered at the voice and hugged him fiercely, yet gentle enough to not hurt him.

"Naru-kun… You and I both know you're not that… thing," Hinata said soothingly, attempting to bring her happy, cheerful Naruto back.

She succeeded of course.

Naruto tightened his grip on her and rested his head on her shoulder and for a time they didn't have to worry about the outside world. Just about them… until Lee burst with gifts and with a woman by the name of Erin, whom he later explained that he had saved her from an attack by the sound.

She nodded goodbye to Hinata and Naruto as she left with Lee who went to go see Neji.

"He's changed," Hinata said.

Naruto nodded, "Yeah we shaved his eyebrows in his sleep and forced him to shut up about the youth crap and the final stage was meeting Erin, I guess. He grew out his hair and now he could pass for a normal human being."

Hinata giggled at the story of Lee's transformation and the two continued on and on about pranks Naruto played to boost morale.

--------------

Neji was eating some of the lunch Ten-Ten had made for him happily; they were both sitting and conversing until someone walked in.

Neji mentally groaned, it was Lee.

Lee pointed to Neji, "Get up and face me Hyuuga! I have the move of your defeat!"

Neji sighed, "No Lee, I'm resting for the next day or two, so go away."

Neji looked past him and thanked Kami. Erin was there.

"Erin please talk some sense into him," Neji pleaded.

Erin smiled and nodded dragging Lee away shutting the door behind him.

Neji sighed, "Still annoying as ever."

Ten-Ten giggled, "So you were going to tell me how you got the seal off?"

Neji nodded and began to tell her.

_**Flashback**_

_Neji, Naruto, Sasuke, and Shikamaru went over the body of a dead Kabuto, killed by one of Shikamaru's techniques. They searched him for anything that might be helpful in sneaking into Orochimaru's armored fortress. _

_They did find plans of the whole fortress and something even better._

_An unsealing scroll. _

_After looking it over to make sure it was safe they found it could remove very strong seals. First up for removal was of course, Sasuke so when they battled against Orochimaru they couldn't use that on him. Then Naruto had a crazy idea._

"_Couldn't it remove the caged bird seal Neji?" Naruto asked._

_He nodded slowly, not getting where Naruto was going with this._

_Naruto smiled, "When I become Hokage this is the jutsu I will use to unseal the branch members of the Hyuuga clan!"_

_Neji smiled warmly at his friend. He knew the grief the seal caused him, and couldn't help but feel happy that people cared._

_He looked outside of the tent to yell at some of the men to stop horsing around and didn't notice that Naruto had started a series of seals._

_When Naruto had finished he hid his glowing hand behind his back._

"_Oi, Neji take off your forehead protector."_

_Neji turned and looked at Naruto strangely before hesitantly removing his forehead protector. Naruto moved swiftly and hit Neji hard in the middle of the caged bird seal with his glowing hand._

_A sizzling sound filled the air and Neji fell to his knees as it seemed a great weight was placed on his shoulders and then quickly lifted._

"_Naruto did you just…" Neji stopped; he already knew the answer to his unasked question. _

_All the consequences that would come of this ran through his mind but he suddenly didn't care. Now that the caged bird seal was gone his fate had changed, and now he could pave that new fate._

_**End Flashback**_

"And that's what happened that day. All the branch and main house members approved and thought it was time I went against the elders and that blowhard Hiashi."

Ten-Ten nodded in agreement.

Neji smiled at her, "And now they can't do anything about me. I'm a free bird now."

Ten-Ten smiled back at Neji and hugged him resting her head on his shoulder sighing soundlessly as she snuggled with her boyfriend.

--------------

Sasuke awoke and smiled down at the pink haired angel lying down next to him. That smile turned into a smirk as he remembered the events of last night. (Yes ­that did happen people.) Movement next to him brought him back from his reverie. Sakura had awoken and was blushing profusely.

Sasuke laughed, it was as if she was trying to copy Hinata's color of red she accomplished when she was younger.

Sakura pouted and tried to stand up to take a shower when pain erupted in the most private of places from doing the nasty yesterday.

She winced and sat back down. Sasuke had no idea what was going on though.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"No… it kind of hurts…" Sakura answered slightly embarrassed.

"Huh? What does?" Sasuke asked not understanding at all.

"It hurts," Sakura said.

Sasuke still looked confused.

"God damn it Sasuke! My pussy hurts!" Sakura said exasperatedly.

Sasuke blushed a bit in embarrassment, "Oh…"

Sakura nodded, "Take me to the shower."

Sasuke looked at her strangely, "Why should I?"

A vein appeared on Sakura's forehead, "Because I said so," she told him as venomously as she could manage.

Sasuke was about to refuse when a voice in his head warned him against it.

'_There's nothing more dangerous than a woman scorned. It's just not worth it to argue. Plus you might get to go another round.'_

Now there was logic Sasuke could agree to.

He got up and lifted Sakura up and took her to the bathroom, perverted plans running through his head.

--------------

So the end of another chapter comes again on a happier and more perverted note. SO SAYS VALLY27!! REVIEW!! ….please. XP


	13. Akoaiji

I'm sorry for taking so long, I've had a major case of writer's block but I'm over it

I'm sorry for taking so long, I've had a major case of writer's block but I'm over it! … At 1 o'clock in the morning…

Let's head to the recap!

--

_**RECAP**_

"_**So where's the ring Shika-kun?" she asked mischievously smiling up at him. **_

"_**Huh?" he said not understanding.**_

"_**I want a ring for people to see that we're engaged!" Ino said cutely.**_

_**Shikamaru's brain slowly processed this new information and when it was done his jaw dropped. Happiness chasing away the grisly memories of war, the tiredness that had plagued him since the war's first battle.**_

_**He enveloped Ino in a hug, "I'll get you it as soon as I'm paid. The prettiest one there, I promise."**_

_**Ino smiled and hugged him back, both of them thinking of their futures.**_

--

"It feels good to be out of the hospital," Shikamaru said lazily, walking out with Ino after 3 days of resting up.

He had seen his mother during the stay and found out she was moving with his now retired father to a nearby village and had left the house to him. Everything was changing but, he was not going to complain, he was finally back home and his parents were still nearby.

Most importantly, he had Ino.

Ino nodded and smiled happily. Shikamaru smiled back at her and took his hand in hers.

"Well let's go to the tower, I need to get my pay," Shikamaru stated to Ino.

She nodded an affirmative and leaned into his side. Shikamaru smiled and released her hand, and instead placed it around her shoulders.

They walked together through the streets and people cheered a bit when he walked by, Konoha's brilliant strategist was home after three years. They passed a jewelry shop and Shikamaru eyed a piece while Ino got some sweets for them in a nearby shop.

He turned back and looked around innocently as Ino came back, her mouth lined with pocky and an industrial sized box of strawberry pocky in her hands. He laughed at the sight and smiled as she came to stop in front of him.

She held out the box to him and he took a stick of the delicious snack and stuck it into his mouth. They continued to walk in a comfortable silence as they approached the Hokage tower.

They entered, got Shikamaru's pay stub and left for the bank. Failing to notice a small shadowy figure tailing them.

When Shikamaru had finally finished his trip to the bank, his account had a lot of zeros added to it, even with the large amount of money he had withdrawn to buy Ino's ring.

Ino was still amazed at the amount, "Wow, you did that much?!"

Shikamaru nodded, "Hey do you still want to see my techniques?"

Ino remembered that he had created some new techniques and nodded quickly.

Shikamaru smiled and began heading towards team 10's old training ground, Ino followed, her mind very curious and eager to know what her fiancé had in store.

Shikamaru walked into the middle of the field and took a deep breath and let it out. He focused on the tree before him and began making hand signs.

"Kagebufu no jutsu," Shikamaru said in a calm voice.

Suddenly all the shadows jumped, and they began to gather towards Shikamaru. The shadows began to form themselves around him in the form of samurai armor. As he stopped his hand signs he held out his hand and the shadows jumped to it and formed a sword. (Think Kuwabara from YYH) He gripped it tightly and ran at the tree, swinging it in one fluid motion.

He came to a quick stop behind the tree and Ino's jaw dropped as the tree not only cut clear off, but quickly turned black and decayed, and then it just dropped becoming mulch unto the ground.

The shadows retracted and Shikamaru fell to his knees panting a bit. Ino ran over and kneeled next to him.

"Are you okay!?" Ino said worriedly.

Shikamaru looked up at her and smiled, "All I need is to catch my breath."

Ino smiled and hugged him gently, and Shikamaru returned the hug happily. They sat there for a moment when suddenly smoke surrounded them. They began to cough from the smoke and Shikamaru felt a hand slip into his back pocket and his eyes, though stinging, widened and he quickly grabbed the hand of whatever was trying to steal his wallet and Ino's arm and rolled out of the cloud of smoke.

He looked at who he had caught and found a struggling young boy, no older than eight, with messy dark brown hair that looked like it hasn't been washed in a while in a tattered old shirt and ripped ragged jeans holding onto his wallet.

"Let go!" The boy yelled struggling.

"No," Shikamaru said lazily, wrenching the boy's wrist a bit causing him to drop the wallet.

Ino frowned at the boy, "Who are your parents? Wouldn't they be angry that you just did this?"

The boy stopped his struggling and glared at her, "I have no parents, and no one gives a damn about me."

Ino's frown deepened and Shikamaru looked at the child, deep in thought.

"Were you abandoned or did they die?" Shikamaru asked bluntly.

Ino looked at Shikamaru, horrified that he would ask straight up. While the child just looked at him dumbfounded and he turned his face away from Shikamaru and Ino, but not before Shikamaru noticed the pain in the child's eyes. He frowned and lightly stroked the child's head as a father would, surprising all three of the people present. The child turned back, confusion evident in his eyes.

The child spoke cautiously, "M-my vessel and the vessel's impregnator abandoned me after beating me for the first four years of my life."

Anger flared in both Ino's and Shikamaru's eyes and the author was surprised she came up with something like this.

Ino picked him up and said angrily, "Where do the vessel and its impregnator live?"

"Wh-why?" the child asked scared a bit by Ino's anger.

Shikamaru looked at the child and smiled (Hah! That rhymed!), "We're going to make sure they get in BIG trouble for doing this to you."

The child looked confused, "How?"

"Hey you know the big Ninja war heroes that came home a few days ago?" Shikamaru asked.

The child nodded, "Yeah."

Shikamaru smiled a bit wider, "I'm one of them."

The child gawked in amazement and Shikamaru laughed.

"Now, tell us where those two monsters live," Ino interjected.

The child nodded and began giving them directions to the house.

While they walked Ino piped up, "So what's your name?"

The child looked away, "I have no name all they would call me are cuss words."

Ino teared up and stroked the child's head as her motherly instincts kicked in. The child looked back and without warning he hugged her and began to cry into her shoulder. People that were around them looked a bit confused and worried. Shikamaru waved them off as Ino held the child and whispered soothingly into his ear until he felt a bit better.

They continued to the house in silence.

--

Shikamaru knocked upon the door of the hell hole that the child they were harboring used to call a home. An incredibly fat woman came to answer the door.

"Whad'ya want?" She said in a disgusting drawl.

Shikamaru looked at the child who nodded to him.

He looked back at the woman, and in the most official tone he could muster he stated, "You and your husband are under arrest for the physical and mental abuse of a child. You have a minute to submit before I have to use force."

The woman blinked twice and hollered, "Akuhei!"

She ran back into the house and Shikamaru sighed, "Go get Ibiki, I'll handle this."

Ino nodded and went to pick up the child when she noticed something.

He was gone!

Shikamaru groaned as he saw the child run in, "Go get Ibiki!"

Shikamaru ran in as Ino ruefully turned and poofed to Konoha's interrogation center.

--

'_It's disgusting in here!' _Shikamaru thought passing garbage pile after garbage pile.

He came to a stop as he saw a man lift up the small child and take out a knife from his back pocket. He was about to bring it down on the child when Shikamaru lunged himself forward and sent a hard blow into the man's gut. The man doubled over in pain and let go of the child who was caught quickly by Shikamaru.

At the same moment four figures poofed into the room. Ino, Ibiki and two other ANBU. The two ANBU ran off to find the fat woman, Ino ran towards Shikamaru and asked if the child was okay, and Ibiki picked up the cringing man.

"I hate child abusers like you," He growled as the two ANBU brought in the fat cow.

Ibiki nodded to Ino and Shikamaru, silently telling them they should leave. They nodded back and left the room. While doing so hearing a loud scream come from somewhere in Kohona.

--

Sasuke ran into the bathroom to see Sakura staring at a strip as she finished screaming.

"What's wrong!?" He asked.

She turned to him with a pale face, "Th-This morning I wanted to check if anything might h-have developed from you know what…"

"A-and?" Sasuke asked fearfully.

"I'm pregnant," Sakura whispered.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he fell backwards and fainted on the spot.

--

"What was that?" Three couples asked at the same time, but then shrugged it off.

--

The child looked a bit discouraged as Ino had to leave for her shift on guard patrol. Ino gave him a final hug.

"Shikamaru will take care of you, I promise."

Shikamaru nodded to confirm it, an idea running through his head. Ino kissed the child's forehead and ran off towards the village wall.

"Hey kid, you want parents?" Shikamaru asked.

The child looked at him dumbfounded, "What?"

"I want to adopt you," Shikamaru said bluntly.

The child looked hopefully into his eyes for any sort of deceit, and not finding any jumped onto Shikamaru sobbing happily.

"Now for a name…" Shikamaru said.

"How about Akoaiji?" Shikamaru asked the child.

The child looked at him, "What does it mean?"

"My beloved child," Shikamaru said smiling.

The child beamed, "Yes I want it!"

"Okay Akoaiji," Shikamaru said kneeling down.

Akoaiji hugged Shikamaru and smiled brightly, "I love you daddy."

Shikamaru's face showed shock as Akoaiji smiled, after a moment of recovering he hugged Akoaiji tightly, "I love you too son."

--

AWW!! SUPER CUTENESS!! SHIKA HAS A SON!! I'm sorry that there wasn't that much interaction with other couples but trust me, after my writers' block I am teeming with creative juices!

Author's notes!

Kagebufu- shadow samurai.


	14. Manda's back

Hey guys… sorry for taking so long but I've been editing this chapter a lot to make it great for you guys, my loyal wonderful readers.

**_Recap_ **

"_**Hey kid, you want parents?" Shikamaru asked.**_

_**The child looked at him dumbfounded, "What?"**_

"_**I want to adopt you," Shikamaru said bluntly.**_

_**The child looked hopefully into his eyes for any sort of deceit, and not finding any jumped onto Shikamaru sobbing happily.**_

"_**Now for a name…" Shikamaru said.**_

"_**How about Akoaiji?" Shikamaru asked the child.**_

_**The child looked at him, "What does it mean?"**_

"_**My beloved child," Shikamaru said smiling.**_

_**The child beamed, "Yes I want it!"**_

"_**Okay Akoaiji," Shikamaru said kneeling down.**_

_**Akoaiji hugged Shikamaru and smiled brightly, "I love you daddy."**_

_**Shikamaru's face showed shock as Akoaiji smiled, after a moment of recovering he hugged Akoaiji tightly, "I love you too son."**_

_**End recap**_

Shikamaru picked up Akoaiji and placed him on his shoulders. He frowned at how light the boy was and began walking back to town.

"So what do want to be when you grow up?" Shikamaru asked.

Akoaiji thought for a moment, "I want to be a great ninja like you!"

Shikamaru smiled brightly as pride welled up in him, being called great by someone he cares about just lifted his spirits.

"Hey Ako, lets get you some new clothes for the job, and some stuff so you can start training right now. And then we're going to the hokage to talk about adopting you ok?" Shikamaru asked Akoaiji.

Ako smiled and hugged Shikamaru's head, answering without words, Shikamaru nodded and smiled as he set off to the nearest clothing store.

Akoaiji ran in ahead and the shopkeeper glared.

"Ragged homeless people are not allowed here!" He yelled reaching for a nearby sword.

Akoaiji whimpered and backed away.

"Leave!" he yelled unsheathing the long sword.

Akoaiji began to cry and the shopkeeper advanced towards him when he had cold steel pressed up to his neck and a huge amount of killer intent concentrated from behind him.

"Drop it now," came Shikamaru's voice, it was filled with anger and hatred.

The shopkeeper dropped it and a woman came in and screamed. Shikamaru resheathed his sword and went over to Akoaiji's trembling form. The woman looked in fear at him, thinking he would harm Akoaiji.

What came next completely surprised her; the boy latched onto the crazed sword man and cried out, "Daddy!"

"Did he hurt you Akoaiji?!" Shikamaru asked him in a worried voice.

Akoaiji shook his head and sniffed wiping his tears, "H-he scared me though."

Now the woman had the right story, the shopkeeper was threatening the boy; the boy's father (she didn't believe that he was his father, but hey.) came in and stopped it.

"Aram, you are fired!" the woman hollered her eyes full with fury.

The shopkeeper, Aram froze and looked at his superior, " But mam…"

The woman glared, "Get up and get out. I expected better from you."

Aram glared back and stood up grabbing his sword and walked out grumbling curses.

The woman bent down and pet Akoaiji's head, "I'm so sorry for his behavior."

Akoaiji looked at her for a moment then smiled, "It's okay."

The woman smiled and looked up at Shikamaru, "Can I help you sir?"

Shikamaru nodded, "I want to buy some new clothes for my son. Something that'll help him out, maybe a weight suit and some dark colored vests."

The woman nodded and Akoaiji spoke up pulling on Shikamaru' sleeve, "I want stuff in black!"

Shikamaru smiled and nodded, "But not all in black okay?"

"Okay, dark green too." Akoaiji compromised.

Shikamaru nodded again, happy that he was making good color choices for the job he was choosing to go after.

They bought a plain black weight suit with extra weights as he grew accustomed to it, and it was adjustable by strings so as he grew he could still use it. He got some jackets in dark green, dark blue, and black with a dragon design on the backs. Along with some dark shirts and pants, and new sandals.

Shikamaru paid for the clothes and walked out with a huge bag of clothes. He dropped it off at his office in the ANBU building, Akoaiji gawking the whole time.

Akoaiji slipped into his new clothes and they left the building. They walked through town and he and Akoaiji took interest in a certain shop they walked in and came out with a very small parcel and Akoaiji smiling.

They kept walking and were about to enter Ten-Ten's weapon store when there was a shout and then a scream coming from the gates.

Shikamaru's face turned pale as recognized the scream, _'INO!'_

Without thinking he scooped up Akoaiji and he began to run to the gate, Akoaiji hanging on tightly.

--------------

(Earlier)

Naruto held Hinata closely with his good arm, muttering sweet nothings in her ear as they walked quietly along the streets, just enjoying each other's company.

"I love you," he muttered into her ear.

"I love you too Naru-kun," Hinata whispered back.

Some people, the people he had seen at the gate still held that hateful glare, but in others Naruto saw a different look a look of praise and thanks. Naruto's grin widened as he walked and saw more of those looks.

Hinata must've noticed too because she held on to him tighter her own smile gracing her lips. The people were finally seeing Naruto as the great man he was.

"Hinata let's eat at this great place I found," Naruto offered.

HInata nodded and Naruto turned with her and walked into a small restaurant. He and Hinata sat down and waited for the waiter.

A man came, smiled at them and asked for their order.

Naruto nodded, "I'll have the kare raisu with some dango and onigiri."

Hinata looked at Naruto slightly shocked he didn't order ramen.

Naruto noticed the look and smiled, "Can't eat ramen all the time you know?"

Hinata nodded and then looked at the waiter, "I'll have the same except instead of dango, I'll have some nigiri."

The waiter nodded and then Naruto beckoned to him, he leaned in and Naruto whispered something into his ear and the waiter nodded. The waiter politely asked for their drink preference and both ordered water.

A few minutes later they were served and they both ate in a comfortable silence. Naruto finished first and waited for Hinata to finish, silently and secretly signaling to the waiter whom nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. Hinata finished up and smiled at Naruto.

"That was delicious Naruto, thank you for bringing me here," Hinata thanked him and he reached his hand over the table to grasp hers.

"Don't thank me yet, I have a surprise for you. Close your eyes," Naruto asked in his melodic voice.

Hinata nodded and close her eyes, she heard shuffling coming towards the table and Naruto gripped her hand a bit tighter as if for reassurance. She felt something being placed in front of her and people moving away. The restaurant became very quiet and Hinata grew confused.

"Open," Naruto said gently.

She opened her eyes and in front of her was a small double-layered chocolate cake, it was mainly chocolate frosting, but it had beautifully arranged frosting violets and vanilla frosting going around the edges. It had stupendous artistry and in the middle of the cake was a gold ring with three medium-sized round cut diamonds sitting on the top of the ring. Around the ring written in light blue frosting were the words, 'will you marry me?'

Hinata stared at the cake, jaw hanging slightly ajar, she was beyond amazed. The ring was beautiful, and it was for her, but what made it the most wonderful thing she had ever received was that her Naruto gave it to her, and is asking her to marry him. Tears of joy pooled up in her eyes as she reached out and took the ring. She wiped a bit of frosting off, and then looked at Naruto.

"Yes," she said quietly.

Naruto jumped up and in a flash was by her side holding her. The people in the restaurant awed and cheered as Naruto took Hinata's lips into a deep kiss, full of love.

They broke apart and sat back down cutting a slice of cake together and sharing it. Naruto called around the waiter and the bakers whom had made the cake to have a piece. They smiled at the now engaged man and dug in.

When they had finished they had gotten up and Naruto had tried to pay the bill in full but the manager shook her head and only asked for half. Naruto argued for a moment until Hinata convinced him to just complete the wishes of the manager.

They left and Naruto smiled wryly at Hinata, "I wanted to pay their hospitality back."

Hinata shook her head, "And they wanted to pay you back for your services to Konoha, Nar-"

A shout came from the gate, followed by a scream and drowned out Hinata's voice. Naruto and Hinata both craned their heads in that direction and both of their eyes went wide.

"I-impossible!" Naruto yelled as a giant snake crashed through the wall, it was Manda.

Hinata stood in shock and fear, Kabuto and Orochimaru were the last evil snake summoners. Now here was the king of the snake summons with evil intent. She felt Naruto tense in thought before he kissed her forehead and ran off, carefully making sure his fragile arm did not get that painful before he fought.

Hinata ran after him Byakugen activated and ready to fight.

--------------

(Still earlier)

Sasuke awoke in a bed and stared at Sakura's crying form next to him, she was curled up eyes screwed shut and tears running down her cheeks. He frowned and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed.

Sasuke turned her so she was facing him and pet her head lightly.

"For what, you did nothing but make me the happiest man alive," Sasuke said soothingly.

Sakura smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his torso and buried her head in his chest, sighing happily at the feeling of safety Sasuke provided. Sasuke smiled and stroked Sakura's back, causing her to sigh happily again.

"I love you," Sasuke said stroking her cheek.

"I love you too," Sakura responded.

They stayed like that relaxed and content until Sasuke looked out a window and tensed, Manda was at the gate. Sakura looked up at Sasuke wondering why he had tensed and followed his gaze. She screamed when she saw Manda, and Sasuke kissed her to calm her. He broke it and looked at her, a silent conversation going on. Sakura nodded slowly and let him go. Sasuke stood and got his weapons; he got dressed in his ANBU gear he had gotten earlier this morning from the Uchiha compound. He looked longingly back at Sakura through the mask and gave her a reassuring smile before running outside.

--------------

Neji was just put back unto guard duty with Ino and they sat bored at their posts until a shout of Kuchiyose no jutsu alarmed them. Suddenly before them the King of snakes was leering down at them and atop his head was the horrible disfigured body of what seemed like Kabuto Yakushi as naked as the day he was born... except there was nothing to show.

His left eye was torn out and burn marks were all around his face, he had no lips now, the skin there was gone and had stitches instead, his teeth were gnarled and some were missing. His arms were bending in every which way and were crusted with blood. His torso was as if they tried to wring out his skin. Stretch marks were all over his body. His legs were half conjoined and the other half seemed like it was conjoined at some point in time than mercilessly torn apart, there were stitches there as well. And up where his manhood should be was a burn mark and one could begin to see stitches as well.

Neji shouted for back up and Ino screamed loudly at the sight. The disfigured beast croaked out what seemed like a laugh and blood gurgled from his mouth. Ino resisted the urge to throw up and Neji was just in shock.

'_But he was dead! We burned the body and scattered the ashes!'_ Neji thought urgently as his friends and a few other ninja appeared at his side.

Naruto threw up a bit in his mouth at the sight of the abomination, "K-Kabuto?!"

The creature turned it's disgusting head with a sickening crack and more blood poured out of his sewn together mouth, "You."

What seemed to be Kabuto's voice was a horrible gurgling noise; they were barely able to make out what he was saying. Hinata scooted closer to her fiancé and he stood in front of her protectively.

"Yeah, it's me Kabuto," Naruto growled.

Kabuto hobbled around on Manda's head to be right in their view, and Akoaiji whimpered and clung to Shikamaru. Ino glared at Shikamaru angry at his idiocy, bringing a child here.

"I will have my revenge on you and the other four!" Kabuto gurgled as more blood dripped out of his mouth.

He looked over them, "Wait, where is the fat one?"

They all tensed except for Akoaiji who had his head buried in Shika's chest afraid. Kabuto made a high pitched gurgling sound and they assumed it was laughter.

"So the fat one is gone? Less work for me I guess," Kabuto gurgled cruelly.

Shikamaru growled and handed Akoaiji to Ino to whom he clung to easily.

Our four main boys stepped forward three out of the four drawing weapons. Naruto focused his chakra and whispered, "Chakra Katana"

A slim sword appeared, blue and red flames ghosted around the blade, and it flew into his open hand. The four nodded to themselves and put up a barrier around the others behind them. Ino and Hinata's eyes widened as the ANBU attempted to break through it.

They looked back and smiled sheepishly and then nodded to Shikamaru.

"This is our fight, not yours," and they jumped up.

--------------

HAHAH!! CLIFFHANGER!!! I love doing that! What will happen? Will all the men survive the fight with deformed Kabuto and Manda? How did Kabuto get that way?

…. I dunno, but I will soon! Well, guys see ya next chapter!

_vally27_


	15. Fubuki and Sokkou come into the picture!

I'M SORRY THAT THIS IS SO LATE!! I had to start doing my summer assignments and sort of got over scheduled... I suck at fight scenes I'm really sorry if they are really terrible.

**_Recap_ **

**_Our four main boys stepped forward three out of the four drawing weapons. Naruto focused his chakra and whispered, "Chakra Katana"_**

**_A slim sword appeared, blue and red flames ghosted around the blade, and it flew into his open hand. The four nodded to themselves and put up a barrier around the others behind them. Ino and Hinata's eyes widened as the ANBU attempted to break through it._**

**_They looked back and smiled sheepishly and then nodded to Shikamaru._**

**_"This is our fight, not yours," and they jumped up._**

_--------------_

Ino bit her lip and Hinata looked on in disbelief and terror as the guys began their assault. Neji ran forward towards Manda, Byakugen activated, launching a barrage of kunai at the weak muscles points in the snake body. Kabuto gurgled something out to Manda and he hissed angrily before burrowing underground. The weapons just grazing the skin of giant snake.

More ninja began to arrive as our boys looked at each other with grim faces. Naruto turned back to the arriving ninja and began barking out orders.

"I need you to start evacuating. Tell the old lady to issue the formal commands and then get her out of here! He's going to resurface soon, and inside the village!" Naruto yelled out.

To his relief no one questioned his orders and they all went off in seperate ways. Shikamaru dispelled the barrier around Ino, Hinata, Akoaiji, and the first ANBU and began heading back towards the hokage tower.

"Get as far away from the village as you can and take care of Akoaiji until you are certain I'm dead!" He shouted back emotionlessly to Ino before running faster.

Naruto looked longingly at Hinata and then turned and followed Shikamaru, the other boys following suit.

_'When Kabuto spoke to Manda... he let his chakra signature show. I'm sure they all felt it... It's ten times stronger than it was the last time we faced him. And last time he almost killed all of us!' _Shikamaru thought to himself attempting to remember how Kabuto had fought the last time they had faced him.

Shikamaru began remembering every move and nodded to himself.

"Don't get seperated! Stay in tight formation!" He yelled to his friends. They were soon by his side and getting into a formation.

Naruto was up front, red chakra emitting a bit from his body. He could force it now from the fox, but it was limited. Neji was a bit behind him to the right, byakugan activated and scanning to see any trace of the deformed creature that is now Kabuto. Sasuke was a bit behind Naruto and to the left. He had his sharingan activated and was in his _genkaku kirichirasu_ (A/N- illusion slashes) stance. It made it look and feel as if there were three blades instead of just one. This is made possible because of the speed the swordsman puts into his attacks. Shikamaru was standing cold and calculating setting up a plan for every move Kabuto might pull.

They heard a crash and immediatly ran alltogether towards it to see an ANBU curled up in a ball and holding their stomach in pain. They looked up to see Tsunade jump down a scowl and glare on her face that could cause almost anyone to run away. Neji tensed, Sasuke began to sweat behind his mask, Naruto looked amused, and this is when Shikamaru met Tsunade's eyes.

Tsunade tensed at the expression of the boy. The lazy look was gone and he had the look of a hardened man, that same look he had had in the hospital when he had returned.

"Tsunade-sama, please I would prefer that the village be evac-" Shikamaru attempted to speak to her when Neji shouted out alarmed.

"Shikamaru I see him coming up! What the?! K-Kabuto's gone! W-wait! H-how is that possible?!" Neji shouted, visibly shaken up because of what he could see.

Shikamaru growled, "Damn it."

He turned back to Tsunade and shouted, "Hokage-sama get out of here!"

Then as she nodded Neji shouted again, "He's ten feet below!"

Then his eyes widened and he looked at Tsunade, "MOVE!!"

"Hu-" Tsunade started as the ground shook.

She jumped up in the air as quickly as she could and yelled out in pain as Manda took a chunk out of her leg. Naruto's eyes flamed as Shikamaru bellowed out the orders to get Tsunade away from there and to start evacuating.

Sasuke held Naruto's shoulder to keep him from leaving formation while Manda finally slithered completely out of the hole.

But there was something different about him. Sticking out of the top of Manda's head was Kabuto from the waist up.

Manda looked disgusted but defeated as Kabuto smirked down at the group of four.

"Why hello. I haven't seen you guys in a while," He said darkly.

Naruto growled lowly and strained against the grips of Neji and Sasuke, "How dare you harm Baa-chan! I'll kill you!"

Kabuto chuckled darkly before he began to go through some handsigns, "Ah, Naruto keep your temper, you never know the consequences of yelling at your betters."

Naruto roared and Neji pulled him back, "Don't you dare. He's trying to get you angry so you'll become sloppy. Calm the hell down and let's move out."

Naruto took in a deep breath before looking back at Shikamaru who stood smirking up as Kabuto finished his handsigns.

"Jump." Shikamaru said in his bored drawl.

They nodded an affirmative when suddenly the ground cracked underneath them. They all jumped backwards out of the range of the attack.

Shikamaru looked up at the grand snake king, "You're letting a fool like Kabuto command you Manda?! What a disgrace!"

Manda roared, but to the guys surprise did not move, "If I could still control my body I would have already devoured him you insignificant little worm!"

Shikamaru's eyes widened a bit before making a signal to move back.

_'This scenario is going to need some rethinking,'_ He thought a bit grudgingly.

--------------

Sakura was getting worried now. The ANBU and jounin were evacutating everyone and then there was a mini-earthquake near the hokage tower. She looked against her evacuator's wishes and saw Manda and something on it's head come up from the ground. A loud crackle came from the jounin's walkie-talkie.

**_"Hokage-sama has been injured! The four crazy idiots are trying to kill Kabuto but it's impossible! He's conjoined with Manda!"_**Came the voice from the radio.

Sakura gasped and started to run towards the fight zone. The jounin groaned and chased after her.

---------------

Sasuke, Neji and Naruto nodded as Shikamaru gave them a small signal.

They all ran quickly towards Manda and Kabuto. Kabuto bit his thumb to draw a bit of blood quickly went through hand signs and summoned some moderately big snakes. Naruto did the same only he summoned three large toads each with two chisakatana (A/N a chisakatana is a shortened katana, the blade is only about a foot long.)

Neji and Shikamaru followed suit, Neji summoning a giant eagle that swooped down quickly taking one of the larger snakes into it's mouth and chomping it in half. While the eagle flew around crying out shrilly the call of battle. This is when Shikamaru's summon jumped into the fray, now Shikamaru's summon surprised all that haven't seen it. A giant white-pelted wolf was summoned, eyes shining gold, it's claws gleaming dangerously. It looked at Shikamaru who smiled slightly before running into the fight along with Sasuke, Neji, and Naruto.

The wolf quickly ran along side them as some ninja stared awed, the wolf summon scroll was lost long ago to the sound, and now here was a Nara and a wolf running beside each other dodging snake lunges and a swipes from tails.

Soon all the snakes Kabuto had summoned were gone and the group of four and their summons were converging on Kabuto.

The three toads hopping up into the air narrowly dodging the lunges from Manda. They hopped up once more and finally dug their sharp swords into Manda's scaly hide. Manda roared in pain and three small cuts appeared on Kabuto's stomach causing him to hiss in pain. Shikamaru noted this and he whispered furiously new orders to his four man team.

"Do as much damage as you can. Don't worry about the freak on Manda's head." Shikamaru whispered loud enough for them to hear.

They nodded and Neji and Naruto carried on the orders to their summons while Shikamaru transfered his orders to his wolf.

"Ready Fubuki?" Shikamaru asked his partner.

The large wolf, now known as Fubuki nodded.

"Let's freeze some snake," came the eager for battle, female voice of the wolf.

Shikamaru nodded and jumped onto his friend's back. He rushed forward and held his sword up, ready for any lunge he might meet. As he did he began going through hand signs.

--------------

Sakura gasped at all the damage that was done as did the jounin that had finally caught up with her. They stood there mesmerized by th battle that was going on. Sakura unfortunately did not notice that Kabuto was looking at her with a crazed look in his eye before turning attention back to the battle.

--------------

Neji was rushing forward, pumping chakra into his legs to move himself quicker. His Eagle summon, Sokkou crying out his calls for snake blood. He laughed slightly in spite of himself and he kept running towards the snake that was occupied with Sasuke and his _genkaku kirichirasu_ that left tons of cuts on the conjoined monster's bodies.

Kabuto and Manda were both now roaring in pain. He was sending wild attacks everywhere in painful fury, making it too easy for our guys to predict his movements. Sokkou slashed Manda's side with his talons leaving a deep wound in both Manda and Kabuto's side. Naruto and his toads each getting in good deep swipes. Shikamaru was shooting towards Kabuto with Fubuki, and both were covered in shadows as his combination technique, _Ookamikagekishi. _(A/N wolf shadow knight.), added speed and strength to the two partners.

Fubuki sent out a wild, blood-thirsty howl as they were completely devoured by the shadows. The wolf's eyes closed for a second and when they opened they were a dark purple, his teeth gleaming as she croached to bring them high into the air.

Kabuto swore and went through hand signs as well as he could with all this pain clouding his mind.

Fubuki jumped high up into the air and Shadow Shikamaru launched the sword from his hand as if it were a spear where it struck Manda with deadly force. Manda did not yell in agony this time though and our four man team quickly jumped back.

Kabuto, bleeding out laughed cruelly atop Manda's head. He stared out at something behind them and Sokkou flew around only seeing a woman with strange pink hair.

"I'm not leaving," Kabuto began to yell down as Manda swiveled around, "Without taking something of yours!"

He made Manda dive into the ground and a scream of pain made Sasuke and the others turn quickly. Sakura was on the floor a snake slithering away satisfied. The jounin that was next to her stood shocked before killing the snake as Sasuke ran over frantically calling Sakura's name.

The jounin lifted her up carefully as Sasuke arrived and took her from him.

"Sakura, Sakura. Please, I beg you, please wake up." He kept chanting tears in his eyes.

Her eyes flittered open and she smiled weakly, "S-Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke sighed a bit in relief before taking off to the hospital. His friends in tow, but not before Shikamaru ordered the jounin to start the reentry to the village and to block off the hole and the hokage tower.

-------------

It has been a week since the attack.

Everyone was celebrating the defeat of Kabuto... all except for Sasuke and his friends. They were too worried to celebrate. Tsunade was now in a wheelchair due to severe muscle damage due to the bite. She was talked out of regenerating. She was old enough for it to kill her and that is something she grudgingly accepted.

She did the operation on Sakura to try and draw out the poison only to she could only extract a bit of it. Most of it had already sunk in. The good news was that it wouldn't kill her immediatly and that it couldn't hurt the baby due to the poison was zeroing in only onto Sakura's chakra system. The bad news was that while it was killing her she would be in painstaking agony.

Sasuke was beginning to live in the hospital by her side trying to soothe her pain at least a bit. They all came to visit them at least three times a week.

--------------

Naruto was walking to Tsunade's office somberly, not betraying one emotion. It hurt him to see and know that not only one but two of his precious people are in pain.

He knocked and Tsunade's voice rang clear through the door, "Enter."

He entered the room and walked forward to her desk taking a seat in the chair placed before it. Tsunade was looking down upon her paper's a tiredness in her eyes.

She looked up at Naruto that same tiredness driving a spike through his heart. She seemed so vulnerable, not anything like the Tsunade he knew.

Tsunade sighed, "Naruto... Do you know why I have called you here?"

Naruto shook his head slowly and Tsunade smiled a bit at him as she continued, "I am getting to old for this Naruto."

Naruto looked at her skeptically as if asking her a silent question.

She nodded, "Naruto I am resigning and I am leaving the village in your capable hands. Your dream has come true Naruto. You are going to be the official Rokudiame tomorrow at the inauguration ceremony."

Naruto walked around the table and hugged the old, seemingly young, woman, "Thank you nee-chan."

Tsunade's eyes welled up with tears as she hugged him in return, _'Dan, Nawaki... This young man broke the curse of the first hokage's necklace... Now you two can rest in peace knowing that your dreams are finally fulfilled.'_

Naruto stepped back from the hug and bowed to Tsunade, "Thank you again, Tsunade-nee-chan."

Tsunade smiled and nodded, "You're welcome. You should go and inform Hinata-chan."

Naruto nodded and he ran out the door.

--------------

Just a small cliffy. I'm sorry again for this taking so long to get out but school just started and it's going to be hard to keep frequent updates.

_Vally27_


	16. Inauguration

Hey people I tried to get this out quickly. I'm sorry. High school is just real demanding. XP.

**_Tsunade was now in a wheelchair due to severe muscle damage due to the bite. She was talked out of regenerating. She was old enough for it to kill her and that is something she grudgingly accepted. _**

**_She did the operation on Sakura to try and draw out the poison only to she could only extract a bit of it. Most of it had already sunk in. The good news was that it wouldn't kill her immediately and that it couldn't hurt the baby due to the poison was zeroing in only onto Sakura's chakra system. The bad news was that while it was killing her she would be in painstaking agony._**

-------------- 

**_"I am getting to old for this Naruto." _**

**_Naruto looked at Tsunade skeptically as if asking her a silent question. _**

**_She nodded, "Naruto I am resigning and I am leaving the village in your capable hands. Your dream has come true Naruto. You are going to be the official Rokudiame tomorrow at the inauguration ceremony." _**

--------------

Ten-Ten held onto Neji tightly as he smoothed her hair cooing gently in her ear on this day of March, 7th.

"Shhh, it'll be okay," He muttered as she cried into his chest.

"H-He's g-g-gone, Neji, th-the only f-f-father I've o-only known!" Ten-Ten whimpered into his chest.

It hurt Neji so much to see the woman he loved crying. Her adoptive father that had taken her in when she was orphaned at a very young age due to her real parents being on a mission gone wrong had died of a stroke earlier today. When Ten-Ten was informed she almost ripped through all the medics surrounding her dead father before breaking down crying.

The medics had Ten-Ten escorted of the premises gently as she kept asking brokenly for Neji. He was called and was there quickly taking her into his arms. Leading up to the moment just written.

He kissed her gently as she clung to him and her sobbing softened.

"Neji… It's not fair… W-why did he get taken, he didn't deserve it, so why?" Ten-Ten said quietly, her head now buried in his chest.

"I don't know," He admitted using a cupped hand around her chin to make her meet his eyes.

"But Kami always seems to take those who don't deserve to leave. Ten-Ten I know how you feel, losing someone so close to you; someone you cared for deeply. But I promise you, unlike me who had no one to comfort them at my father's passing… I will be here for you." Neji swore quietly, his lavender eyes intense with passion and love for her.

"Do you know why?" Neji said a small smile spread across his face the answer to his question long answered before Ten-Ten spoke.

Ten-Ten just held his cheeks in her hands before nodding, "I love you too"

She rubbed his cheeks with her thumbs, "Thank you Neji."

They stayed like that for a good ten minutes as Ten-Ten calmed down completely.

Neji looked around slightly before allowing his smile to grow bigger, "Your welcome my little battle angel."

Ten-Ten blushed and punched him lightly in the chest, "Hey! I told you not to call me that Neji!"

He chuckled and nodded, "Fine, fine."

They held each other and a doctor came up once again to speak with Ten-Ten.

"We've found something on your father's person that you might want," The doctor said quietly with a gentle smile upon her face as she handed over a small package.

Ten-Ten turned in Neji's arms and took the package gently. The doctor left to the hospital that they had taken Ten-Ten's father to. The package was very light and rolled in cloth. She began to unravel it gently until she came to the item that caused tears to return to her eyes. Inside the package was a bracelet, a long bridge encrusted with diamonds and other precious stones, it looked newly mended. And when flipped over to inspect it Ten-Ten had noticed the words inscribed into it.

It read:

_'Ten-Ten, my beautiful daughter... This used to be your true mother's; it recently came into my possession... For you my darling daughter, happy birthday... 3/9' _

Neji read the inscription as she held it up and held her closer against his chest.

"Come on," he muttered after a while, "Naruto's being inaugurated today."

Ten-Ten nodded slowly and they both left the long empty street.

-------------- 

Tsunade looked out upon all those gathered in the crowd and smiled when she saw Sakura and Sasuke together. Tsunade had numbed the pain for her and she was free to walk around for a little while, but only under strict supervision incase of a medication failure.

"Citizens of Kohona!" Tsunade's loud voice boomed throughout the gathering site and all went quiet as everyone's attention went to the Godiame Hokage.

Her face was humble as she spoke, "In light of recent injuries… I see it fit to step down and instate a new Hokage."

There were a few smiles in the crowd as they were the few informed of the retirement and whom the replacement was. The others in the crowd looked around themselves, wondering who it would be.

She was wheeled to the side by Shizune and there was a silent anticipation. There were deafening steps onto the marble balcony and the crowd was stunned.

Most of them due to happiness of who it was... But a portion of them into complete shock and disgust.

Upon the balcony was Naruto in regulation Hokage robes; his head band gleaming proudly in the mid-noon sunlight. His hair was combed into small spikes and the hair gathered at the nape of his neck was tied back into a loose ponytail. His cerulean blue eyes were still carefree, but now they held wisdom and knowledge.

He reached the balcony and looked down into the crowd his eyes searching for someone in particular. His eyes met with the pupil-less lavender eyes of his beloved. She was smiling proudly up at him, dressed in a soft purple yukata and obi for the occasion. He was about to begin to speak when the minority of the crowd who were disgusted began to yell in protest.

"How dare you put that demon in office?!"

"He doesn't deserve such a post! Only death!"

"How dare he disgrace the position only true heroes should hold!?"

Other things were shouted, and would not have been silenced had not killing intent flared from many shinobi who had served in the war. Some had to be restrained from lunging at some of the people shouting. But the voice that silenced them all came not from Tsunade, or Naruto, but from the heiress of the Hyuga clan, soon to be the head of the clan.

Hinata Hyuga.

"You. People. BE. **QUIET!**" She screamed, angered and disgusted by those who had been protesting.

It went silent from mere surprise of the demand from such a quiet person.

Hinata glared at those around her before poofing up to where Naruto was and she began to stare down the crowd, more specifically those who were protesting.

"Naruto has done nothing but help this village! He's risked his life for it many times! Without him, you all would not be here, and it is a disgrace how you have treated him all these years for something out of his control!" Hinata yelled in a cold voice that made a chill run through everyone's spine and made Tsunade and Naruto beam with pride at how she handled it.

Naruto put a calming hand on her shoulder and walked forward and took on a look of complete seriousness.

"From the day I found out what I contained in my body I began to hate all of you," Naruto said bitterly and people gulped.

"Then I left with Jiraiya to travel and train, I was treated better than I ever was when I was here, the only thing that made me return was the promise of a lifetime I had made a good friend of mine," He continued, his eyes dark.

"Then I began to see something I had been blind too for so long… Hinata-chan's feelings towards me. I decided what the heck and I began dating her I honestly thought it was too good to be true, too good to last, but it lasted," Naruto's voice changed dramatically to one of lightness and happiness.

"She was the one who stopped me from going crazy when you all came after me. She was the one I fell in love with… Then we were called out to war. I had to rip my heart in two not to run back just to be with her, but I had made a pledge to the village not to endanger it, so I stayed. It killed me to be with troops that did not like me and barely listened to my orders," Naruto's voice changed back to resentment for a second.

"But after the battle in Sound Gulch I believe that is when they began to respect me and follow my orders," Naruto said smiling at his comrades in arms that were present at the time.

They all cheered at Naruto's speech so far, but Naruto put his hand up for silence.

"When we returned I hated it honestly. I saw everyone returning to their family, everyone seeing the ones they loved, and the person that counted the most I could not find. I succumbed to my insecurities for a small moment but then she came to me, embracing me, bringing back my happiness. We were reunited like many others of our army. Then she learned of a terrible secret I hold," Naruto said neutrally.

The older generation flinched but most ended smiling at Hinata, while the younger generation had confused eyes. Naruto took in a deep breath and bit his lip, unsure of what he was about to do, he looked back at Hinata nervously and she took his hand in hers, giving him her courage. He let a small smile slip before turning back to the crowd.

"This terrible secret is the reason I was shunned and hated by many… When I was born into this world it was the day, October tenth. As you were taught and told that was the day the Fourth Hokage gave his life to kill the Kyuubi, but this is not true. He could not kill the bijuu, so he used a new born child to contain the demon. He wished for that child to be a village hero, but instead he was detested by the village, so much to the point that the Third Hokage had to make an S-class law that no one could utter the story of the container. But they found a new way to torture the child and dance around the law without breaking it," Naruto said his voice breaking slightly as the horrible memories of his childhood returned to him.

The crowd was utterly silent, they were captivated by his tale, even those of which were protesting were staring on quiet. All already had put the pieces together, but had to hear it from the horse's mouth.

"I am the container of the Kyuubi. I have lived and protected you from it's fury for the last 19 years and I will keep protecting this village I love."

Naruto announced this full of pride, his smile was true as he looked down upon his people. They cheered wildly for him and very few were not moved by his speech. They began to chant his name and Tsunade smiled at this boy who turned the village that had hated him into the village that respected and loved him. She finally took off the hat of the fire shadow and Tsunade was wheeled sideways by Shizune and Naruto turned to face her, and kneeled respectively. Tsunade placed the hat of the fire shadow upon his head and signaled Shizune to wheel her back around.

In a strong voice she announced, "Today is the dawning of a new era! A new stage in this village's history! I now present to you the youngest of the Hokage, and he might possibly be the greatest, Naruto Uzu-"

She was cut of as someone poofed into existence next to her. Shizune jumped slightly frightened by the intrusion and Naruto was soon standing and ready to fight.

The air cleared to leave Jiraiya as pale as if he had seen a ghost and clutching a scroll. The crowd looked up curiously, and wondered what the old pervert Sennin had to say.

Jiraiya quickly turned to Naruto as he muttered apologies and gave him the scroll. Naruto looked confused but carefully examined it. He opened the old scroll and looked onto the scroll and his breath caught in his throat. He handed the scroll to the now impatient Tsunade.

She took it and her eyes widened as she read it:

_Naruto, _

_If you're reading this, then the Third must believe you are finally ready to know of your family. _

_I don't have much time left. I must perform a jutsu tonight that will mean my death. I regret that you won't have a mother either, at least not yet._ _She was wounded badly in the war effort and was taken away to one of the hidden villages. I'm so sorry, Naruto. I tried to keep her safe for you. But she was an ANBU captain and she felt she was needed, I do not know if she is still alive as you read this but I hope. _

_You look so much like me. I wish...I just wish I could be there with you as you grow. This pain of knowing I won't be there as you grow… I'd rather die a thousand times than feel this pain. _

_I'm sealing the Kyuubi within you. Hopefully, its power will protect you in my place. Sandaime has convinced me that it's best if you don't know who you really are until you strong enough to take on those whom can hurt you. There are many people who would try to kill you if they knew you are my son, but now it seems you are strong enough to take those enemies on. I hope you won't hate me for the pain you'll no doubt endure from the people of Konoha. Don't judge them too harshly, little one. They've been through hell today. So many deaths... _

_Please know that I love you and, even though she barely got to meet you, your mother also loved you very much. Her name is Kushina hopefully this will aid you in finding her my son. She is a very beautiful lady and she has such a kind heart. I wish you could've known her as you grew, but soon you will know her, I hope Kami will allow this._ There were some dark spots on the paper where the ink had run a bit. Naruto could only assume they were tears.

_I'm not sure what else to write. There's so much I want to tell you. I know I'm the Hokage and that I must make sacrifices for Konoha, but you shouldn't have to. Please forgive me for what I must do; I hope that in time you will forgive the entire village as well as they must have hated you through all this time. _

_Sandaime just told me that the sealing circle is complete. You look like a small angel with all the candles around you. _

_Be a good boy. Don't cause too much trouble. If you are as I was, you're going to drive people insane. Treat the ladies with respect, and care, I had to be straightened out by your mother. _

_I must leave now. _

_Be safe,_

_Namikaze Minato _

Tsunade turned towards the crowd, "I apologize I had almost made an error in Naruto's surname. I now present to you the youngest of the Hokage, and he might possibly be the greatest, Naruto Namikaze!"

All went quiet even Hinata looked shocked, that surname meant one thing. Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage. They cheered louder now and couldn't help it the legacy of their greatest Hokage is now continued! Naruto stood shocked as two things rung out in his head.

He was the son of the Fourth Hokage.

His mother was still alive and in one of the hidden villages, most likely one of Konoha's allies.

He bowed his head and in his eyes came tears of happiness as finally his life seemed brighter.

He shook it off and walked once again to the balcony and yelled in pride, "People of Konoha! I am ready to continue the legacy of my father! I am proud to now be Konoha's Rokudiame Hokage!!"

The crowd cheered wildly and Naruto's eyes burned with passion, _'Mother… I'm going to find you.'_

Hinata hugged him and he hugged his fiancé back.

----------- 

Far away in Sunagakure a woman sneezed and opened her heavy eyes and looked around swiveling her head carefully. A nurse ran into the room and gasped.

"Mrs. Namikaze! You're awake!" she said alarmed.

"Y-Yes… How long have I been out?" Kushina spoke quietly, her throat sore, dry, and hoarse.

The nurse grabbed Kushina some water and she gulped it down, happy with the cold water healing her throat.

"Well?" Kushina asked, her voice now had a melodious tone to it.

The nurse bit her lip, "Mrs. Namikaze, You've been in a coma for nineteen years."

Kushina Namikaze's shriek echoed loudly through out Suna, "**_WHAT!!??_**"

----------- 

Ha ha you thought I wasn't going to leave you a cliffy huh? Well I did. I thought I owed it to you guys. Sorry for complete lack of Shikaino but I'll make up for it next chappie. XP See ya next chapter peoples.


	17. Mother

Hey guys! I have returned!! XP Now the story shall start heating up.

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_**He shook it off and walked once again to the balcony and yelled in pride, "People of Konoha! I am ready to continue the legacy of my father! I am proud to now be Konoha's Rokudiame Hokage!!"**_

_**The crowd cheered wildly and Naruto's eyes burned with passion, 'Mother… I'm going to find you.'**_

_**Hinata hugged him and he hugged his fiancé back.**_

_**-----------**_

_**The nurse bit her lip, "Mrs. Namikaze, You've been in a coma for nineteen years."**_

_**Kushina Namikaze's shriek echoed loudly through out Suna, "WHAT!!??"**_

-----------

Meanwhile in Kohonagakure...

Shikamaru lay comfortably against an oak tree resting next to Fubuki. She watched all the small children run by happily, bringing some treats occasionally that the giant wolf didn't mind. Her ears suddenly twitched to the side and she sat up from her previous resting position. Her lips curled into a smile and she walked forward to meet two important people in her partner's life coming over a hill.

"Hey there Fubuki-sama!" Ino greeted.

Akoaiji wasted no words and quickly hugged the wolf. Fubuki stooped her furry head down and rubbed her muzzle affectionately against the boy's forehead. Akoaiji smiled and rubbed the bridge of her nose. The young boy's morose disposition gone after experiencing someone's great care. He was now acting as any young child should. Care free and happy for no apparent reason.

"Hi Fubuki-nee-chan! Guess what! I'm going to have a mommy and daddy soon!" Akoaiji exclaimed happily.

Fubuki smiled gently as she could, which was hard being a deadly predator, "Aren't they already your mommy and daddy?"

Akoaiji's face twisted into one of thought, and slowly he nodded, "But it'll be official soon!"

Fubuki let out a sound from her throat that sounded strangely like laughter. Her eyes shone happily as she once again rubbed her muzzle against the boy's forehead.

"You will be a great warrior one day cub," She said proudly.

Shikamaru silently walked forward and gripped Akoaiji's shoulder gently, "I'm glad you think so Fubuki-san."

Ino walked over to her fiancé and kissed his cheek. Shikamaru smiled and kissed hers in return. Akoaiji pouted as he looked up at them.

"Hey! No icky adult stuff when I'm here!" Akoaiji announced indignantly.

Shikamaru smiled mischievously and took out a small box, "Why not Akoaiji?"

Akoaiji closed his eyes in annoyance and began to rant on how it was gross when they acted like that. When he ended his rant Fubuki was letting out those guttural wolf laughs and he started yelling in disgust as Shikamaru and Ino were on the ground kissing as Ino had a new ring upon her right hand.

But they were broken apart as Akoaiji yelled in terror. Shikamaru was instantly to his feet, ready to kill what would dare harm his son. He sweat-dropped and almost vaulted face forward as he saw the young boy clinging to Fubuki and staring, eyes wide as dinner plates at a giant horned toad that stared right back.

It turned and looked at Shikamaru now. It seemed to nod to itself and then it opened up its mouth big and wide. Out came the annoying ranting of the new hokage.

"_**SHIKAMARU!! WERE GOING TO SUNA ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS AND I'LL BE DAMNED IF YOU DO NOT SHOW UP RIGHT NOW TO ESCORT ME!! I NEED INO TOO SINCE SHE HAS GOOD PEOPLE SKILLS, HECK THINK OF IT AS A SLIGHT VACATION AS I AM GOING ONLY TO FIND SOMEONE!! NARUTO NAMIKAZE, OVER AND OUT!! P.S. BRING THE FUNNY LITTLE KID WITH YOU."**_ Shikamaru winced at the volume.

'_Why can't the idiot ever say things like a normal person?!' _Shikamaru sighed and looked at Ino and at Akoaiji.

Akoaiji looked extremely ecstatic, while Ino smiled evilly, suddenly Shikamaru gulped. Going to Sunagakure meant, going to see Temari... Sparks were about to fly. Shikamaru groaned and held his head in his hands, for any guy this would be a fantasy. Two girls fighting over him... But to our poor Shika... This was going to be a nightmare! (MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!)

-----------

Ten-Ten was smiling big as Neji twirled her around as they danced together, just the two of them. She marveled at how beautifully the once stoic young man danced. The music finished and Ten-Ten leaned into her boyfriend's arms.

"I love you," He muttered quietly, gently.

Ten-ten smiled almost giddily when a giant horned toad suddenly appeared. Neji's eyes flashed in angry annoyance and he cut his thumb before the toad registered them and summoned Sokkou. The Eagle glared at the horned toad and it gulped and instead of opening its mouth nice and wide, it opened it only a little bit and Naruto's voice came softly.

"Hey guys, sorry for breaking up the party, but I feel that I should hire my pals to escort me to Suna for something important. Think of it as just a little traveling and vacation. Oh, and happy birthday Ten-Ten. Naruto Namikaze, over and out!"

Neji nodded to the toad permitting it to leave. It hopped away quickly and Sokkou not seeing any reason to stay, left, leaving only a small cloud of smoke as proof he was ever there. Neji sighed and looked at his girlfriend. She looked to be contemplating it.

"Do you want to go?" He asked the thinking girl.

She nodded, and Neji smiled.

"Well we better get packed huh?" He asked her chuckling slightly as she ran to the top of the stairs to get packed.

'_She was more eager than she let on...'_ Neji thought as he walked up the stairs to the bedroom he and Ten-ten shared.

He looked in and saw Ten-Ten tearing the room apart packing. Neji began to chuckle more as she tried to stuff everything all in one suitcase.

He walked up, pulling her away from the suitcase before she destroyed it and opened it up revealing the mess, "Let me Teni."

She pouted and nodded, before saying in a cute voice, "Okay Neji-kun."

Neji blushed lightly as she spoke but turned quickly before she could see and began folding the clothes neatly before packing them up. Ten-Ten couldn't help herself and blurted out the ultimate insult.

"You make such a good housewife Neji!" Ten-Ten covered her mouth and "eep-ed" as Neji's shoulders sank a major blow dealt to his ego.

"I'm so sorry!" She said frightened slightly.

Neji turned and looked at her, before stealing a kiss, "You'll repay for it on the trip."

His eyes glinted with something that Ten-Ten did not notice and he just chuckled and finished up the packing before leaving the room and a confounded Ten-Ten.

-----------

Naruto walked into the hospital room, remorse in his eyes. He looked at his two teammates and he smiled a bit. Sakura was curled up happily asleep against Sasuke who looked nice and comfortable against the woman he loved. He walked over and shook Sasuke lightly and he stirred.

Sasuke looked up groggily, "Huh? Hey Naruto, what do you need?"

Naruto smiled, "Hey, Neji, Shikamaru, and our girls are going to Suna to look for someone. I wanted you to know before we left. Okay?"

Sasuke nodded and ran a hand through Sakura's long locks.

"I'm also looking for a cure..." Naruto said determination in his eyes.

Sasuke returned the same determination in his own eyes, "I am as well Naruto."

They locked eyes and silently a vow went through both of them, _'We will find a cure.'_

Naruto turned and left silently, leaving the couple back in each others embrace.

------------

They set out early the following morning on the day long journey to Sunagakure, but had to stop due to a storm passing through the area. They pitched tents as quickly, but did not bother to set all six tents, only three.

There were strange noises coming from Neji's tent, whimpers moans and such, _but as the author I assure you, they did not go as far as t-_

Ten-Ten sharply took in a breath as Neji broke her maiden's head and tears came to her eyes as pain ran through her. Neji began to move slowly cooing quietly in her ear to calm her...

_... Never mind. Well... at least the others could wait... Right?_

**In Naruto's Tent**

Naruto and Hinata slept together fully clothed, cuddling cutely. Naruto had his arms wrapped protectively around his love's waist. Hinata had a jubilant smile on her face as she rested her head on Naruto's chest. The peaceful and innocent scene severely contradicted the going ons of the tent next-door (Ten-Ten and Neji).

**In Shikamaru's Tent (And Out)**

The small soon-to-be official family lay all together, well except for Shikamaru. Fubuki had shrunk herself to the size of a regular wolf and curled up with young Akoaiji, both happily asleep next to each other. Ino sat a bit worriedly by the door. Shikamaru had gone out to see if they were particularly far from the Hidden Sand village, and hasn't returned just yet.

"Where are you, you lazy bastard?" She muttered looking outside into the raging storm.

She was really worried now that she looked out there; she could barely see a foot out into the rain.

She bit her lip, _'What if he's hurt? I can't just leave Akoaiji here... But Fubuki's here to protect him.'_

She stood up and was about to step out when a dark figure was coming towards the tent. Ino froze and reached for her weapons pouch, getting a fuuma shuriken to throw. The figure came closer and she held her breath, tightening her grip on the weapon she had in her hand. Finally the figure came into view. Ino dropped the shuriken and ran out into the rain. Shikamaru was holding his bleeding arm; he was completely soaked and shivering from the bone-chilling, cold rain. Ino carefully guided him inside and sat him down. She helped him out of his sopping wet clothes until he was only in boxers.

She took him into her arms and for once their roles were reversed. Shikamaru sat in Ino's lap, barely awake as he shivered, but at least he was warming up. She inspected his arm and sighed in annoyance; the cut was jagged and had a bit of dirt in it. He had obviously fallen and hurt him self and stumbled around freezing. She reached into her nearby pack and began to disinfect the wound, and cleaning it. She began to dress the wound, wrapping the gauge around the wound.

Shikamaru opened his eyes, a bit more awake now, and groaned.

"I-It's fr-fr-freezing," He said through chattering teeth.

"Then lie down," Ino command getting a thick blanket from her pack.

Shikamaru didn't refuse and curled up on the tent floor. Ino laid down as well and drew his cold form towards her. He gladly accepted and she shivered from his cold skin touching hers. She covered the two in the blanket she got from her pack and in no time the two were asleep.

------------

The storm blew over quickly enough and they arrived in the morning to Suna where they were greeted by the sand siblings... well two out of three at least. The third was too busy glaring at Ino to greet anyone.

Akoaiji though was in awe of the village, due to the fact he only stayed in Konoha the whole of his short life until now. He walked around the adults who were walking in silence, holding on slightly to Fubuki, staring at the buildings around him. He turned and walked right to Gaara whom had stayed silent right after the greetings and pulled on his Kazekage robes over the regular battle clothing he wore.

The man didn't seem to notice and naturally as a child, Akoaiji wanted attention so he pulled hard almost tripping him. Everyone's face went pale as Gaara regained his balance and they feared for our poor little baka. Gaara turned around and stared coldly at Akoaiji, and was slightly surprised that the boy didn't even seem to notice the cold stare. Instead the boy smiled at being acknowledged, and all those who had been worried let the breath they held in.

"Mister Gaara-sama, what are the buildings made out of? Are you Kazekage? Is your hair really that red? Why are your eyes like that? What's that say on forehead? If you are Kazekage, where's your hat?" Akoaiji let out all in one breath.

Gaara blinked twice and stared at the young boy, before his face broke out into a smile. People all around stopped and stared, as now he began to laugh, not a maniacal laugh, but an amused laugh.

"The young one has many questions," Gaara said regaining his composure, except a small smile on his face.

'_It joys me to see such a young boy just be carefree,'_ Gaara thought, sadness flashing for a split second as memories of his own terrible childhood ran through his head.

The scared and shocked group could only nod. Akoaiji was still calmly waiting for his answers. As Gaara began walking again, Akoaiji followed and suck in a breath to ask his questions again but Gaara began speaking.

"The buildings are made of sandstone, yes I'm Kazekage, and my hair is naturally blood red, genetics, love, and my hat..." Gaara swiftly took out his hat and placed it on his head.

Akoaiji's eyes widened once again in awe.

Naruto pouted, "Well Akoaiji, it's not as cool as the Hokage hat right?"

Akoaiji shook his head and Naruto smiled, "It's not as cool. It's better!"

Naruto flew forward and his face met sand as those around him burst into laughter.

Gaara sighed and spied something out of the corner of his eye. He smelt blood and soon he was racing towards an alley. Naruto smelt it as well and followed, this being the cue for all of them to follow. They arrived only to see a man knocked out on the ground and Gaara holding a young bleeding child. The poor child's face was dirty and his torso was filled with scratches, his ribs showing. Akoaiji went quiet and he walked to Gaara.

"We need to get him to the hospital," Hinata said urgently before Akoaiji could speak.

Ino scooped Akoaiji up and they were all off like a shot. Gaara being careful not to jostle the small child in his arms. They arrived and Gaara was ordering that a stretcher be brought to him. As they took the child away he spoke to Kankuro.

"Kankuro, take them to their arrangements. Be courteous and keep our sister from harming the others," Gaara said quietly.

He turned to Naruto, "But you need to stay. I called you here for a reason."

Naruto nodded, gave Hinata a kiss and the promise of later before all the others left. Gaara stared a bit warily at the emergency room the young boy was taken into before turning back to Naruto.

"You're worried?" Naruto asked.

Gaara remained silent and kept walking towards a room down a dimly lit hall. Naruto gulped, he hated dimly lit places, and hospitals, so he followed hesitantly. A vision of the war came to him.

_**He ran through the abandoned hospital, loud yells and moans of pain coming from a dimly lit hallway. The smell in there was one he was well associated with by now. It was the smell of rotting flesh. The yells were getting louder now, Naruto tried to keep a cool head but inside he was freaking out. **_

_**He finally made it to the door and he kicked it open quickly making five shadow clones. He looked in and had to resist the urge to throw up, inside was one of his soldiers. His stomach was torn open and some kind of creature was feasting upon his insides, making low guttural sounds, as if showing its enjoyment. Naruto and his clones charged forward and quickly disposed of it by using several rasengan to make sure it was dead.**_

_**The man looked at Naruto, and muttered something… Naruto picked the poor man up and pushed the muttering into the back of his mind as he tried to heal him slightly. **_

Naruto's heart stopped for a second and he fell to his knees.

Gaara whipped around, "Naruto-sama?"

Naruto muttered something incoherently, and Gaara kneeled next to his friend.

"Naruto?"

"H-he warned me… H-h-he knew Kabuto would resurrect Manda and himself…" Naruto said quietly.

"What do you mean damn it?!" Gaara asked annoyed.

"Kabuto planned on us killing him… he has a bigger plan… he's probably making those man-made demons like the one that feasted on my comrade…" Naruto came to that realization, and Gaara became quiet.

After a good minute Gaara spoke again, "Naruto, this is something we should speak about, but not right now. This should and will be a happy day for you, this I promise."

Gaara helped Naruto up, walked with him, reached the last door of the hall and opened it.

-----------

Kushina sat tears in her eyes at what she had just been informed of. Her husband was dead and she had been out of her child's life for all of his childhood. She sat silently staring out the window, her tears now fell and she sucked in a quivering breath.

She had already spoken to the current Kazekage, a nice young fellow… He had said her son, Naruto, Minato had named him, was coming here.

"I don't know if I can face him," she whispered quietly.

Then her conscious spoke, _'How can't you?! You are his mother. You loved him since you were pregnant and now your son has grown to be a fine young man! Do not disgrace him by appearing sorry for yourself!'_

Kushina nodded to herself, and as she thought more of the feelings she had been feeling should felt more and more disappointed with herself. How could she have wallowed in self pity, when her son had grown up to be someone to look up to? She smiled to herself, and wiped away her tears.

'_And I'm still alive and here for my son. Oh Minato, I will care for our son for the both of us.'_ She thought as the door swung open.

She turned her head and smiled, the young Kazekage was there. Then she looked upon the man he had with him. He was tall and had a strong frame; he wore the Hokage robes and looked as if he had seen a ghost. But his expression changed immediately to a big grin. Kushina's heart could have stopped, she swore she saw her husband standing there, but alas it wasn't. Realization came now.

"N-Naruto-kun?" She stammered out, tears of hope in her eyes.

Naruto sucked in a breath as if to calm himself, "Mother?"

Kushina let those tears fall now as she nodded. Naruto walked forward carefully and when he reached her bedside, Kushina engulfed him in a motherly hug. Gaara smiled and left the two alone to get associated. He headed off in the direction of the emergency room.

Naruto felt the warmth of his mother's hug and his eyes snapped open wide in realization, _'A mother… I have a mother now.'_

He suddenly felt like a child as now he clung to his mother and cried. He cried of happiness and relief as now, he finally had something he had wanted all his life. It did not matter if it had come a little late. He had his mother. A woman who cared unconditionally for him, he began to cry harder as his mother rocked him gently side to side.

"Naruto-kun… why do you cry?" She cooed trying to calm her son.

Naruto lifted his head, his face tear streaked but his grin wide and he whispered, "I finally have a mother now."

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Well that was done quickly but only because I'm getting to a bit of a mini-crunch time in high-school. Sorry if the next one doesn't come as fast and I hope you liked the mother son interaction. And the extending of the plot –evil smile- I have big things planned for Kabuto.

OMG yes he's not dead yet. But then again he's important to the story. See ya next time.

_Vally27_


	18. OH NOES! IT'S TEMARI!

I worked double time to get this in because I think my loyal reviewers deserved it!! ... And I'm in the hospital -.-"oh well he we go! Oh and happy 11000 hits! -.-" I couldn't get the other one in for 10000 so... Yeah...

"_**Kabuto planned on us killing him… he has a bigger plan… he's probably making those man-made demons like the one that feasted on my comrade…" Naruto came to that realization and Gaara became quiet.**_

_**After a good minute Gaara spoke again, "Naruto, this is something we should speak about, but not right now. This should and will be a happy day for you, this I promise."**_

_**Gaara helped Naruto up, walked with him, reached the last door of the hall and opened it. **_

"_**Naruto-kun… why do you cry?" Kushina cooed trying to calm her son.**_

_**Naruto lifted his head, his face tear streaked but his grin wide and he whispered, "I finally have a mother now."**_

_**-----------**_

Naruto after recovering from his tears began to inform her of his travels up to the age of fifteen, leaving out of course the gory details. He only got up to when he had returned to Konoha when Gaara walked in.

"Your mother has to be discharged Namikaze-san. You must sign the papers," He said a faint smile on his face.

Naruto nodded jubilantly and Gaara hand some clothes to him. Naruto held them up and looked flabbergasted.

"I am no woman Gaara!" He shouted holding up the woman's robes that most woman wore in Suna.

Kushina and Gaara ah-hemmed, and Naruto looked at both of them for a second. Suddenly something clicked and his face went red.

"O-oh... sorry mom," Naruto said passing the clothes to her before turning, pushing Gaara out of the room, and leaving the room himself to give his mother privacy.

When Gaara had reached the end of the hall a young boy flew at him attempting to tackle him. Gaara sidestepped the young one and caught him by the back of the shirt. The boy pouted and struggled slightly.

"Gaara-sama! You said you would let me tackle you!" The child said in a slight huff.

Gaara raised an eyebrow, "No, I said I would let you tackle me _one day._"

The child pouted once again and Naruto decided to catch the child's scent. It was the same as the blood he had smelt this morning.

'_But how was he healed so qui-'_ Naruto began to ponder but someone's voice broke through the dense barrier of his mind.

"Kawari (change/alteration)! What are you doing out of bed?!" Reprimanded a worried voice.

Kawari smiled sheepishly, "Neh, sorry Hinata-sama, but I wanted to see Gaara-sama."

Hinata walked up dressed in doctor's robes and shook her head giggling slightly. She looked up and noticed Naruto smiling warmly at her. She flushed slightly but smiled all the same.

"Good evening Naruto-kun," Hinata said quietly.

Naruto nodded in acknowledgement, "I should have known that Kawari would have been healed quickly with you there... But how did you get there?"

"Well, Suna is short on doctors and as I was leaving, the called out from the E.R. that they needed help in stabilizing Kawari. I ran to help and I stayed with him healing his small wounds," Hinata began to look at Kawari with a bit of worry, "But he still has a large wound that could open up."

Gaara scooped the small child up and scowled slightly. Kawari cast his eyes downward and muttered an apology to Hinata who just shook her head, smoothing the small child's hair.

"You are going to be a good mommy Hinata-sama!" Kawari said happily.

"I hope to make her a mother soon," Naruto said sensually, hugging Hinata's waist and pulling her back into his chest.

Hinata eep-ed and blushed deeply, "N-naruto-k-kun..."

Then a scream of rage came from the dark outside.

They ran to the door and the adults eyes grew wide at what they saw. Temari had kissed Shikamaru full on the mouth and Ino was charging at her. Shikamaru's mind was still processing what had just happened, eyes wide and confused. And right when Ino was about to tackle Temari to the ground and start an old fashioned girl fight Shikamaru pushed Temari away.

Ino skid to a stop and Temari stood smirking. She was about to make a smart remark when Gaara's voice rang out angered.

"Sister, how dare you disrespect our honored guests?! This man led the group who saved our village, yet you disrespect him and his fiancé by trying to ruin their relations! It is something I will not have in this village!"

Temari flushed in embarrassment and hurt dignity. She turned and left in a huff, while Ino turned the other way and stalked off angrily while Shikamaru fell to the ground, covered his face with his hands and groaned.

"Why me?" He muttered in defeat.

Gaara sighed and muttered his apologies to Kawari and walked after his sister. Naruto walked over to his friend.

"Are you okay bud?" Naruto asked.

Shikamaru just sighed and uncovered his face to stare up at the sky.

"I can't do anything right, can I Naruto?" Shikamaru said in a quiet tone.

Naruto's eyes narrowed and he kicked Shikamaru hard in the side; Shikamaru winced and clutched where Naruto's foot had connected.

"Don't be stupid," Naruto growled, "Because of you we only had thirty casualties out of 150 ninjas! You saved my ass a ton of times during the battles, and you came up with how to kill Kabuto the first time! Stop being an idiot and thinking you can't do anything right!"

"Naruto-kun, you shouldn't be so harsh..." Hinata whispered, holding the now fearful Kawari.

Naruto was about to answer when Shikamaru sat up, still wincing slightly.

"Neh, Hinata, I think he's right... This definitely scares me..." Shikamaru sighed, hating to agree with Naruto.

Naruto helped his friend up and Fubuki bounded onto the scene. She skid to a stop behind Shikamaru and peeked between his legs as a ton of dogs came howling and barking.

"They won't stop chasing me Nara-sama!" Fubuki said an exhausted tone in her voice.

Shikamaru and Naruto rested into a fighting stance and expected biting and flesh wounds, but almost vaulted face first into the ground when the dogs stopped and stared lustily at Fubuki. Fubuki whimpered and bounded to Hinata and Kawari the dogs followed. Fubuki stared at Hinata before a cloud of smoke appeared around the two. The dogs stared on confused before three people stepped out of the smoke.

Hinata and Kawari were coughing whilst a small girl stepped out of the mist. She had snow white hair and porcelain skin, her amber eyes shown in the moon light, almost looking green. The girl didn't look any older than seven. The dogs whined confused and set off to try and find the beautiful female wolf. The four present stared.

"Fubuki... Is that you?"

The young girl smiled, "Yep Nara-sama!"

Shikamaru's eyes twitched, "Fubuki how old are you?"

"Seven in your years!" Fubuki said cheerfully.

Naruto looked at Shikamaru, "You've been endangering a seven year old in your fights how do you feel?"

Shikamaru glared at Naruto, and Naruto chuckled, "Hey, Hey I was joking!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and scooped up Fubuki, placing her on his shoulder, "I'll see you guys later. I'm going to find Ino and check up on Akoaiji."

Naruto nodded and Shika left.

Shikamaru wandered to the hotel they were staying at and saw Akoaiji staring in awe as Ten-Ten showed him all the weapons she owned. Neji smiling at his girlfriend, watching her with softened eyes. Shikamaru walked over.

"Have you seen Ino? She sort of left in a huff," Shikamaru asked.

Ten-Ten nodded, "She walked up the stairs as if she were thinking deeply about something."

Shikamaru nodded and pet Akoaiji's head.

Ten-Ten looked up at Shikamaru's shoulder, "Who's the little girl?"

Shikamaru set Fubuki down, "its Fubuki, she turned into this form to escape from dogs."

Ten-Ten looked at her, "But she looks so young."

Fubuki nodded, "That's 'cause I'm seven, Miss Ten-Ten."

Neji looked at Shikamaru, "You know... That could be seen as child endangerment."

Shikamaru glared, "Be quiet Hyuga. Sokkou is only two if I remember correctly."

Ten-Ten turned a glare onto the Hyuga as well, "A two-year-old?!"

Neji chuckled nervously and Shikamaru smirked in triumph heading up the stairs. He carefully opened the door to his room and smiled as Ino lay comfortably on the bed. He entered, stripped down to his boxers, and crept to the bed. He got in under the covers and sighed happily when suddenly there was a flurry of sheets and he landed on the floor.

He groaned and looked up to see Ino leaning half off the bed, her blue eyes boring angry holes into his coal black orbs.

"I may know that what happened was an accident," Ino started voice full of venom, "But that doesn't mean I can't be mad at you."

"Yes it does, in fact I have full right to being pampered right now, for the horrible trauma I was just put through," Shikamaru said, immediately regretting the words as Ino's eyes darkened.

"You're sleeping on the floor," She said glaring intensely.

"Bu-" Shikamaru started, but Ino hauled herself back on the bed and covered her head with her pillow.

Shikamaru got up and stared at the Ino, _'She's just kidding... Right?'_

He lifted his leg slightly as if to get on the bed and a kunai was drawn and was staring him in the face.

"No. I was not kidding," Ino said through the pillow.

Shikamaru took hold of her arm and moved her wrist away. Ino immediately turned and grabbed his own wrist.

"What?" she snarled.

Shikamaru fought a smirk that was about to overtake his lips and bent down over her, bringing his face only centimeters away from hers.

"You look so beautiful when you're angry," Shikamaru said, his baritone voice stirring up heat in Ino's face.

"Sh-shut up Nara!" Ino stuttered out, her face still completely red, the hand that was gripping his wrist trying to push him away.

Shikamaru's smirk broke out, "You know, when you're like this..."

He bent over to her ear, grabbing the wrist of the hand that was attempting to push him back and pinning it to the side of her head as he had done the other that held the kunai.

"I just want to kiss you," came Shikamaru's sensual whisper.

Ino blushed turned impossibly deeper as she felt her feelings pooling up in a certain area.

"W-well I won't let y-" Ino tried to stutter out before Shikamaru kissed her deeply.

He clambered on top of her and sucked and nipped at her lips. Ino shut her eyes battling internally over what to do when finally a side won.

-----------

"_**We claim victory!"**_ yelled half of Ino's inner beings as the others sulked in loss.

They marched up to the huge tower that controlled Ino's very being, and their leader took hold of the conscience microphone.

"_Okay, now listen carefully Ino... GIVE IN!!"_ yelled the leader and outside the effects were almost immediate.

-----------

Ino's eyes closed and the clenched hand that held the kunai slackened and the kunai fell to the ground. Shikamaru let the grip he had on her wrists go and began to stroke her cheek as she finally began to kiss back. Halfway through their heated make-out session the door flew open to reveal Fubuki and Akoaiji.

Akoaiji yelled in terror as it seemed his father was trying to eat his mother's face and vice versa. Fubuki just began to giggle at his antics.

"Mommy, daddy! What ever it is we can work it out! Just don't turn into cannibals!" Akoaiji yelled pleadingly and the kissing stopped.

Shikamaru and Ino stared at Akoaiji, eyes blank, then at the same time they asked, "Cannibals?"

Akoaiji nodded meekly, "It looked like you were trying to eat each other..."

Fubuki rolled around in laughter behind him as Shikamaru looked at his son.

He chuckled and picked the boy up, "Son I am so sorry for you having to have seen that. Now I think you and Fubuki should both rest up for tomorrow. Okay? Because we get to go around and sightsee."

Akoaiji nodded and struggled out of his father's arms pulling on Fubuki's sleeve for her to follow him. She nodded and followed him past the partition onto a bed big enough for both children. They cuddled close together and fell asleep. Two angels resting for a day that would definitely be full of surprises.

-----------

Kushina entered the lobby of the Suna hospital to see a strange sight. Her son kicking a man and lecturing him. She stared on interested, and tears came to her eyes at how much of his father Naruto had in him. She made note of the female standing with a child holding onto her a bit fearfully. When her name was mentioned she smiled.

'_She must be Yoshimi's child. She was due about two months after Naruto was... I wonder how Yoshimi is...'_ Kushina thought back to her old friend.

She watched from the lobby all the going-ons and waited for it all to settle down.

"Wow kids today sure have drama in their lives," The mother muttered to herself.

She was about to walk out when another big scene began to go on. A wolf, a talking one at that, had suddenly turned into a girl, a small girl. She looked on in amazement and was so taken at how adorable the child was! She just wanted to hug and smother the adorable little one. But the man who had been lectured by Naruto scooped up the child gently and walked off.

Kushina walked up and put a hand on Hinata's shoulder and Hinata jumped a bit and twirled around. Kushina smiled at the young woman, for as she had twirled around she had moved the child into a position where he would be less likely to get hurt if a fight broke out.

The two stared each other down for a second before Naruto's voice shattered the silence.

"Kaa-san, this is Hinata-chan," Naruto said appearing next to the two women.

Hinata looked at Naruto and then back at Kushina before bowing slightly.

"Namikaze-san, it's wonderful to meet you!" Hinata said at the sudden introduction.

Kawari got out of Hinata's grip and stood off to the side with Naruto watching from a different view of the introduction.

Kushina smiled and pet the girl's head, "Hinata you're a spitting image of your mother, how is she?"

Hinata tensed slightly and bit her lip, Naruto frowned himself and Kushina looked confused.

"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" Kushina said her confused tone apparent.

Hinata shook her head quickly, "It's just that... My mother has been dead for 15 years."

Kushina paled and brought the Hinata into an embrace as she began to sniffle.

"I'm so sorry," Kushina apologized for bringing up Hinata's mother.

Hinata rubbed her eyes of tears and shook her head again, "Please no. It's not your fault."

Naruto smiled as the two women seemed to get along fine.

"Ahem," Naruto said and the two women looked at him, "Kaa-san, Hinata is also my fiancé."

Kushina's eyes widened and she stared at Naruto for a moment then stared back at Hinata, and repeated the action a few times before grabbing both their hands and studying their rings.

After nodding to herself she hugged both of them, "AWW!!!"

Naruto's eye twitched, _'Oh lord... My mother's crazy...'_

Hinata giggled, "I'm relieved you approve Namikaze-san"

"Why wouldn't I!?" Kushina gasped as if surprised Hinata would even give the thought that she would not approve.

Naruto spoke this time, thinking of the pompous ass that is Hiashi and what he had done only weeks before, "Because people have really resented our relationship before, some have gone as far as to try and destroy our relationship by permanent means..."

Kushina's eyes went dark, "Who tried to do this to my son?"

Before Naruto could speak, Kawari yelled out, "I'm going back to bed!"

Kawari walked away and a nurse escorted him to his hospital room. The trio laughed and wished him goodnight before Kushina went all serious again.

"Now who was this?" She demanded an answer.

Hinata and Naruto looked at each other and gulped slightly, maybe they shouldn't have brought this subject up. Kushina can be damn scary when she wants to be.

Naruto cleared his throat and looked his mother in the eye, seeming to have something incredibly serious to say, "Kaa-san... I'm too tired to talk about such things. You wouldn't mind if we waited until morning?"

Kushina and Hinata both sweat dropped. That entire sentence had come out like a five-year-old whining to an adult. Kushina began to giggle.

"Fine my widdle Nawu-kun, we can talk in the morning," Kushina said in a slightly mocking tone.

Naruto humph-ed indignantly and sighed, "Well come on let's get to the hotel we're staying in and get some shut-eye."

Hinata nodded and yawned, starting to walk now. The three walked in a small trio in comfortable silence. The streets were incredibly quiet and tranquil maybe because it was so late. Naruto stared up at the sky and marveled at how clearly he could see the sky. Hinata was staring up as well, and they subconsciously took hold of each other's hand as they walked through the streets.

Kushina walked behind them smiling and proud of her son, He would be a great man, and many great things would come from him.

-----------

"I have found the candidate master... It is a child. His name is Kawari, he has no one, but has unusually large chakra reserves," spoke a young man, his body covered in a dark robe, but his ghost white face was filled with scars.

A figure hobbled out from the shadows and blood dripped from his mouth as he spoke, "Good, but it seems the Kazekage has taken a liking to him, and no doubt will take him in, and make the child stronger. Then we shall take the child. Then Konoha will fall."

The disgusting figure croaked out a laugh and blood washed down his chin. The robed man cringed slightly, but made sure that the disgusting one did not notice.

"Yes Kabuto-sama, yours is a brilliant plan."

-----------

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Yes my people, Kabuto is an evil bastard, yes I gave you a mini cliffy, and yes, Kushina is a crazy insane mother! Got a problem? Oh well, send a review and tell me about it. Don't have a problem? Good for you!!

P.S.- happy 30000+ words.

_vally27_


	19. Getting Reacquainted With an Old Student

Hey guys! I have returned from the dead! And I have come back with... MY STORY!! ... Yeah... Now onwards to the flashback of the last chappie!!!

-warning- a two year-old cursing. Yes I said a two year-old.

-----------

_**Last Time:**_

_**Kushina walked behind them smiling and proud of her son, He would be a great man, and many great things would come from him.**_

-----------

_**A figure hobbled out from the shadows and blood dripped from his mouth as he spoke, "Good, but it seems the Kazekage has taken a liking to him, and no doubt will take him in, and make the child stronger. Then we shall take the child. Then Konoha will fall."**_

"_**Yes Kabuto-sama, yours is a brilliant plan."**_

-----------

_**The Following Morning**_

Akoaiji woke up to the 'aww's of four females standing over his bed, three he knew well and another he had no idea was.

"Wa s'matter ma?" Akoaiji muttered, getting closer to a place of warmth in the same bed, cuddling against it.

All the four woman squealed and 'aww'ed once again. Then the place of warmth sat up and reprimanded them.

"Please be quiet! We are children and need more sleep then you!" Fubuki growled.

She turned to Akoaiji instantly and curled up against him, hugging him like a big teddy bear. Akoaiji blinked twice, confused at what had just happened, but he just shrugged subconsciously, returning the hug and drifting back to sleep. The four women just stared on at the ultimate display of cuteness before squealing quietly in their heads and tip-toeing away as to not disturb the children.

Ino looked back at her soon-to-be-official son and smiled gently. The young boy was holding Fubuki protectively, Fubuki was returning the favor and the two looked like angels that had just fallen from the sky, holding each other close.

"Sleep well Akoaiji, I need to plan you guy's wedding..." Ino half joked to no one.

Though if she would have looked back on the two, they both would have had red faces.

-----------

Gaara sighed as he was left alone, later today the public were going to gather for a small festival in honor of the win against Oto during the last stand only a year ago. He bowed his head, he couldn't help but feel depressed today, he had lost someone who was a great friend to him that day in the final stand, she could have even been something more to him, but it doesn't matter any more. He remembered the day well, all the fights were won with few casualties and all was well, but all good must be balanced with the bad in time. And the worst possible moment was when his brother came to him with the news, the horrible news.

**_Flashback_**

_Gaara had wiped out a whole squadron by himself as the Konoha forces took over the front lines with the shinobi from his own country and fought back fiercely. He panted as he felt a bit wobbly but shook it off quickly running up to meet the leader of the Konoha forces. He was a bit surprised it was Nara, but quickly changed his mind as he saw him summon shadows from every where and pack it into a ball then throwing it like a grenade. At least fifty Sound ninjas were killed._

_They had finally fought them back and away from Suna, Gaara felt proud of his people whom had fought rabidly for their country. He had thanked the Nara and granted his sister to reward him though he was very happy Nara had had a woman already. He didn't feel like being related to the aloof man. That's when it had went down hill, Kankuro had come into the room, looking nervous and saddened at the same time._

_Though the nerves were gone as soon as he had sat down, he looked at Gaara with great sadness._

_"Brother... She was lost, we searched, but all we found was this," Kankuro had said holding out a banged up forehead protector._

_He didn't have to say her name, Gaara knew who he was talking about. Gaara took the the forehead protector form his brother and waved him out. Kankuro nodded and left, knowing better than to stay too long after such a loss._

_"Why...?" Gaara muttered under his breath clutching the banged up forehead protector tightly, and if you had listened closely that day, you would've heard the Kazekage lamenting over the loss of someone he cared for._

**_Hospital_**

Gaara couldn't take just sitting in his office, so he went to go see Kawari, the boy always seemed to put a smile on his face. Kawari brightened immediately as Gaara walked into the room and waved furiously.

"Hi Gaara-sama!!"

Gaara let his stoic face slip into one of acute happiness and walked over to the young boy. He pet his head affectionately, like a father would, but neither, having horrible, or no, fathers, noticed.

"Gaara-sama can we play hide and seek?!" Kawari asked hopefully.

Gaara nodded and Kawari quickly added, "No using jutsu or enhanced senses, and count to twenty before coming after me!"

Gaara again accepted the terms and Kawari hopped out of his bed and raced off. Gaara counted to twenty before he got up and walked around the hospital looking for his prey. And the more he looked, the more he saw that Kawari was definitely an elusive tyke. He heard some soft movement from behind him and turned on the spot, grabbing the person behind him. His hands clamped onto long slender arms and he saw the short brown hair that he hadn't seen in a long time. He locked his pale green eyes to the person's black one.

"Matsuri..." Gaara said quietly, a tear sliding from the corner of his eye down his cheek.

His former student was there smiling; she was pretty banged up though, a bandage around left eye, she wore a simple tanktop and you could see the beginning of a fully bandaged torso. Her pants were slightly worn and she stood a bit wearily but she was happy. He sniffed her, trying to check to smell, and there was no doubt in his mind this was her.

"Gaara-sempai," Matsuri began but she stopped in surprise when Gaara pulled her into a gentle hug.

"Kankuro said you were lost in the last stand against Sound..." Gaara said in an almost hollow voice, as if trying to board up all his emotions.

Matsuri though was blushing intensely, _'Gaara-kun, you've changed in a year...'_

She soon returned the hug and they stayed like that for a little while, in the calm silence of the hall.

"Why didn't you come back after the final attack?" Gaara couldn't help but be curious as to why it took her a year to come back.

Matsuri's happy attitude wavered and she slumped slightly against him.

Gaara held her tighter and Matsuri clutched the front of his robes, "I was captured... And they did things to me."

Matsuri's eyesight began to blur as tears filled her eyes, she continued on, "I finally escaped during a battle outside... I stumbled around until I came to a town, they helped me and I stayed there for a few months before I returned here."

Gaara felt rage build up in him, he wanted to harm someone for doing this to her, but Matsuri's sniffling brought him back to the real world. She was crying into his robes, sobbing softly.

Gaara rubbed the top of her head, awkwardly, he never had to comfort someone before, but he's seen it happen before as mothers comforted their children. A small smile came to his face as she began to calm down, her sobs disappearing. She looked up into Gaara's green eyes and muttered something quietly, Gaara didn't quite catch it though.

"Huh?"

She leaned up to him and said, "Gaara, could you please kiss me?"

Gaara was quiet before nodding and clumsily placing his lips lightly to hers. Matsuri was just as clumsy and the kiss was more a sloppy meeting of lips than anything else, so the two broke away from each other, Gaara even had the grace to blush.

"Would you like to try again?" Came Gaara's voice.

Matsuri, who's face was ablaze with a deep red blush, nodded shyly. Gaara this time dipped his head down to meet Matsuri's lips. It was a sweet kiss, over too quickly in Gaara's opinion, he liked this kissing thing, especially since it was with Matsuri. When she broke the kiss, he pulled her back to his now hungry mouth as he kissed her full on the mouth. Matsuri's eyes widened but she smiled against his lips and wrapped her thin arms around his pale neck on instinct and rolled her head slightly to the side, Gaara eagerly deepening the kiss. Gaara's arms went tentatively around Matsuri's waist, pulling her even closer to his body. Matsuri ran her hands through Gaara's lush red hair as she groaned softly.

Gaara broke the kiss and was about to place one upon her neck when Kawari came running into the hall.

"Gaara-sama! Why are you hugging the girl! You're supposed to be finding me!" Kawari announced, pouting since he was ignored.

Matsuri's eyes widened and she ran to Kawari with a shout of, "KAWAII!!"

Kawari went pale, _'Oh no, not like those nurses...'_

He turn and ran, you see, when he was attempting to hide from Gaara he ran into some nurses who playfully scolded him. He pouted and was almost squished to death by the hugs that the squealing women gave him. So as he raced around being chased by Matsuri he called for Gaara's help, only to start yelling at the young man as he was leaning against the wall trying to hold in jolly laughter as chuckles left his mouth. Kawari stopped though as Matsuri turned a corner, starry eyed and ready to tackle the young boy in a hug.

"Help!" Kawari squeaked latching onto Gaara's leg. 

Gaara composed himself and face Matsuri as she skidded to a stop in front of them. She kneeled down to Kawari's level before Gaara could say a word.

"Can I have a hug?" She asked.

Kawari looked at her a bit skeptically but tentatively unclenched Gaara's leg and walked over to her. She hugged him gently and he smiled at the warm hug that was nothing like the killing hugs the nurses tried on him. Gaara looked on in interest and smiled softly, this child was one that deserved everything he needed, and he would make sure he got just that.

He cleared his throat to get Matsuri's and Kawari's attention. When they looked at him he spoke.

"There is a festival today and I would like some company from Suna to come along with some old friends of mine to the festival, would you both like to come?" Gaara asked formally.

Matsuri nodded, but Kawari looked doubtful.

"But Gaara-sama, they don't like it when kids like me run around the festivals," Kawari said bitterly.

"What do you mean kids like you?" Matsuri asked before Gaara could grow angry.

Kawari looked away, "Y'know... orphans, street rats."

Matsuri hugged the boy tighter,her motherly instincts kicking in as she held the boy. She felt killing intent spike up from besides them but knew very well that there was no way it was directed at them. Kawari shivered lightly, but other than that he just stayed in Matsuri's arms. Gaara knelt down now and pet the young boy's head.

"Well you are a street rat no longer little one, nor orphan, for now you have an elder brother to care for you," Gaara said to Kawari, whose face brightened very quickly.

Gaara stood up, as he did he locked eyes with Matsuri, there was admiration and pride in her eyes along with a foreign emotion he had never seen directed at him,but it was a warm emotion and it made his heart soar so he said nothing and just smiled once again.

"We better get you two into some dress clothes," Gaara said as he helped Matsuri up.

Kawari looked a bit uncomfortable, but it faded as he and Matsuri chatted on and on, all the way to the tailor.

------------

Ino walked into the children's room once again to see if they were awake yet and smiled gently as they still held each other as they slept. Ino carefully strode to the side of the bed and gently shook the two children to awake them. Fubuki awoke and yawned happily letting go of Akoaiji and stretching, all the moving around now awoke him as he sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes.

"Morning mommy," Akoaiji muttered through his tiredness.

Ino kissed his forehead lightly and ruffled his hair, "Good morning."

She then bent over Akoaiji to greet Fubuki the same way. Both children grinned happily at the morning greeting but looked strangely at her as she put two child sized yukatas onto the bed.

"What are those for Ino-san?" Fubuki asked crawling over to side on which the two yukatas were laid smoothly on the bed.

"For the festival today, Kankuro came up to inform us that we were going to accompany Gaara-sama and Shikamaru is going to be honored for the final charge against the sound ninjas a year ago. So I got these at a tailor nearby for you two, now hurry up and get dressed okay?" Ino explained, smiling proudly when she spoke about Shikamaru being honored during the ceremony.

Both children nodded and started to strip off their clothing before Ino screeched for them stop.

"Why?" both asked curiously.

"B-because!" Ino exclaimed, not wanting to go to a place that small children shouldn't know about until they mature enough.

Fubuki looked rebellious and soon enough she and Ino were having an intense staring contest. There were sparks flying as Akoaiji grabbed the yukata he liked the most and walked into the bathroom. The two girls stare turned into glares and they didn't even notice how Akoaiji left. About ten minutes later he stepped out in his bright red yukata, his light blue obi tied tight around his middle. He smiled proudly at his handy work before casting an annoyed glance at two of the people he cared for before he shouted.

"Hey you people better get ready!" Akoaiji yelled.

Ino and Fubuki both looked at him dumbfounded before scrambling to get their stuff on. Akoaiji smiled to himself and went in search of his adoptive father. He walked out of the hotel room and down the stairs to see Neji arguing... with a baby.

"No Sokkou! This is unacceptable! Turn back into a hawk immediately!" Neji was shouting himself hoarse and some police officers were walking toward him looking fierce.

Though when the police officers heard the next few sentences the stopped dead in their tracks, in slack-jaw awe of what they had heard.

"No you damn bastard! I want to be held and go to the festival just like Fubuki gets to! Plus this'll help you show Ten-Ten you're not an irresponsible idiot!" Sokkou chirped up in the voice of a young child.

Akoaiji walked over and pulled on Neji's dark blue yukata that had a scene of a bird flying free into the sky along with a tan-colored obi, and the older man looked at him.

"Neji-sama, why are you yelling at a baby?" Akoaiji asked him.

Neji coughed a bit in surprise, and Sokkou, thoroughly annoyed just turned into a small hawk and flew upstairs to go see Ten-Ten, "Well you see, that is my summon partner Sokkou, he decided to do what Fubuki did and just masquerade as a human."

Akoaiji looked at Neji strangely and tried to sound out a word he didn't understand, "Mas... quer... ade?"

Neji nodded, "It means to pretend."

Akoaiji frowned, "Fubuki isn't mosskeriding as anything!" (Intended spelling error)

"I didn't mean to offend you, Akoaiji, I'm just saying, they are not true humans," Neji tried to clarify, though Akoaiji began to throw a fit.

"Fubuki is a human! She's just like everyone else, except she can turn into a wolf! Don't you dare say those mean things ever again! Or else I'll tell auntie Ten-Ten!" Akoaiji yelled at Neji.

Neji knelt down and smoothed the young boy's head in an attempt to calm him, "Akoaiji, you must face reality, Fubuki can never be human, she is just a summon, a temporary one at that. If she were to be hurt she would just poof back to her summon kingdom."

"Shut up!" Akoaiji shouted swatting Neji's hand away.

Neji frowned, but then he felt it, a fiery determination fill the room as Akoaiji spoke, "I will find a way for her to be able to live here with me and my family! I will find a way to make our summons so stable that if they wish they could stay and live with humans!"

Neji was about to speak to try and reason with the boy when Shikamaru placed a hand on his son's shoulder. Akoaiji looked frightened, but to his credit he did not jump. Shikamaru then moved his hand to stroke his son's head.

"Akoaiji, I'm proud of you and the fact you wish to complete your dream, go for it," Shikamaru said to his son in a sober tone, the seriousness just fueling his son more an more.

"Yes daddy!" Akoaiji barked as if just given an order.

Shikamaru smiled and movement on the stairs caught his eye as the rest of their mission party came down all dressed formally, but what truly caught his eye was Ino. Her flowing blond hair fell down her back beautifully, her yukata was a lilac color and was decorated with lilies. He felt his breathing hitch and a grin spread across his face as he came forward to meet her.

"You look beautiful," he muttered his arm wrapping around her petite waist.

Ino smiled at the compliment and blushed lightly, "Thank you Shika, you don't look so bad yourself."

Shikamaru chuckled to himself, he never did think himself a sharp dresser, but today he wore a black yukata and a handsomely contrasting white obi. Then he felt his hair fall to his shoulders and whipped around quickly feeling around his hair to find his hair tie. When he didn't find it he looked around the room at all of his friends, they all wore mocking grins as they poorly attempted to look innocent.

"Who has it?" Shikamaru growled.

Silence.

"Well?" Shikamaru barked out trying to look menacing.

Everyone just walked past him laughing heartily leaving Shikamaru and a slightly confused Akoaiji behind.

"Daddy... What just happened?" Akoaiji asked him.

Shikamaru just sighed and muttered his favorite word under his breath, "Forget it, let's go."

Shikamaru scooped up his son, and walked out of the inn, following the laughing group to where you could hear children laughing, smell the festival food, and see people having a good time. As they finally reached the group they saw Gaara, wearing his traditional Kazekage robes, the young boy from yesterday, wearing a sky blue obi with a cream colored obi, and a woman that was blushing profusely as she wore a precious turquoise yukata and a pale green obi, the most probable cause for her blush though, was Gaara's arm around her waist. Shikamaru chuckled to himself again as Gaara glared at Naruto for making an inappropriate comment, and jabbering on as if nothing happened.

_'That's Naruto for you,_' Shikamaru thought as he joined the group.

------------

Have a happy new years people! Action coming up in the next chapter as Shikamaru and the boys take on one of their mightiest foes! FESTIVAL GAMES!!

Agian, have a happy new years everyone, _Vally27_


	20. The 'Fair' Games

Hey guys! I finally got fed up with grammar and stuff and also having to balance everything else with schoolwork, I got me a Beta! Say Hello to SarcasticallyTroublesomeGirl!

I hope with a good seasoned author behind me and my messed up mind that comes up with the things that will happen in the story, that this story will only get better. Now let's get going!

_**Last Time:**_

_**"Daddy... What just happened?" Akoaiji asked him**_

_**Shikamaru just sighed and muttered his favorite word under his breath, "Forget it, let's go."**_

_**Shikamaru scooped up his son, and walked out of the inn, following the laughing group to where you could hear children laughing, smell the festival food, and see people having a good time. As they finally reached the group they saw Gaara, wearing his traditional Kazekage robes, the young boy from yesterday, wearing a sky blue yukata with a cream colored obi, and a woman that was blushing profusely as she wore a precious turquoise yukata and a pale green obi, the most probable cause for her blush though, was Gaara's arm around her waist. Shikamaru chuckled to himself again as Gaara glared at Naruto for making an inappropriate comment and then just jabbering on as if nothing happened.**_

_**'That's Naruto for you,**__**' Shikamaru thought as he joined the group.**_

-----------

Ino smiled as the two walked up, Akoaiji was looking around seemingly excited from atop Shikamaru's shoulders. Her smile fell though and the atmosphere of joy between friends grew sober as Akoaiji lowered his head.

"Ako?" Fubuki asked, using a little nickname she invented for him, looking up as Shikamaru frowned, trying to comfort the boy as best he could since Akoaiji was still on his shoulders.

"I don't belong here," Akoaiji muttered, "Not at festivals, they're not for people like me."

Shikamaru noticed the young boy that stood over with Gaara and the woman tensed and balled his hands into fists. Gaara was the only one besides himself that wasn't looking murderous. Then the woman that was introduced this morning as Naruto's mother, Kushina, walked over to the young boy who had his fists clenched and led him over to where Shikamaru was standing.

"Kawari, this is Shikamaru, Ino, Fubuki, and Akoaiji. They are very good people and I believe, you unfortunately have a lot of knowledge on what Akoaiji is feeling," Kushina said in a formal voice.

Kawari nodded a bit reluctantly and called up, "Hey Akoaiji!"

Akoaiji moved his head just slightly toward Kawari, the only acknowledgement he would show at the moment.

"Listen… I… I used to live out here on the streets, but then my Nii-san took me in and you Otou-san and Kaa-san took you in, so it doesn't matter anymore. W-we should have fun…" Kawari struggled quite a bit with his childhood memories and fears to get that out.

But it worked.

Akoaiji raised his head enough to see his face and he smiled. Shikamaru lowered him down to the ground and Akoaiji extended his hand to Kawari for a handshake and Kawari smiled back at him and they shook. The adults all smiled and ushered the children into the heart of the fair. Fubuki ended up dragging the two younger boys over to a park.

"I'll look over the children for right now," Gaara announced in his usual monotone voice, and then he turned to Shikamaru, "We have a few hours before the main ceremony, please have fun at the festival."

Before Shikamaru could say anything Ino took his hand and led him away and as he looked back at where the whole group was congregated he saw a similar scene, but Naruto didn't get dragged away before he spoke to Gaara in what looked like serious tones, he could barely believe that the pranking blonde could look so solemn it was a bit unnerving. But the grave expression was gone as soon as it came and he walked off with Hinata.

Then he heard it the noise he despised, but loved, Ino's squeal. Shikamaru smiled and groaned over dramatically, Ino looked angrily at him, when she saw his smile she pouted, and hit him playfully. Shikamaru chuckled and he allowed himself to be taken to a festival game stand.

"Hello dere younguns! How is youselves?" A man slurred hanging of the dart wheel that was part of the game.

From the sign on the outside of the stand, you had to be old enough to drink, drink six shots and then you get five tries to hit a bulls-eye on the dart wheel. Shikamaru paled slightly, drinking was not something he enjoyed since he saw how it affected him.

Shikamaru winced at the memory.

_**Flashback:**_

_I looked down at the cup of sake with uncertainty as Sasuke and Neji downed whole bottles in a contest. Naruto drank it slowly, thinking hard about something, it was surprising, but the sight was soon common, before or right after a battle. Still I saw no point in bringing me to a bar after the battle; I did nothing except for my job…_

"_Hey Shikamaru, good planning out there, if you hadn't fixed Akito's plans, a lot more people would of died," Chouji had said in praise ordering his own bottle of sake along with three orders of barbeque. _

_I remember rolling my eyes before taking out a cigarette and lighting it up. Chouji frowned deeply and I groaned, I could already tell he was going to lecture me, and I was right._

"_Shikamaru, I know you miss Asuma-Sensei, but, I mean, we killed Hidan and Kazuki, and Asuma is proud, so why keep smoking?" Chouji said, his voice telling me that he was annoyed._

_I looked my best friend in the eyes and then smiled slightly as I looked past his head at Neji and Sasuke still guzzling down the warm alcohol. I turned my view back to Chouji's face and smiled my newfound smile, the smile of war. Chouji squirmed a bit in his seat._

"_I suggest a wager," I said innocently as innocently as possible._

_Chouji was quiet, signaling to me that he was listening._

"_You and I will have a drinking contest like Sasuke and Neji are, if I win you have to stop lecturing me on my smoking habits," I said in a the nonchalant manner I had mastered over the years._

_Chouji did not back down as I had expected, instead he smirked right back at me… My heart sunk as he agreed._

"_Sure, but if I win, you have to stop smoking and start taking those nicotine patches to wean you off of it." Chouji said in an already victorious voice._

_I paled even worse and gulped nodding, stupid male pride, not letting me back down. We ordered ten bottles, five for each and I noticed Lee was about to drink the sake. Chouji must have noticed as well because we both jumped up to grab it from him before he got some down his gullet._

"_What are you doing to my tea?" Lee demanded and the bartender paled._

"_Sorry kid! I thought you ordered sake! I'll get you that tea right quick," Said the man quickly going to fix Lee's tea._

"_Aww, Shikamaru, Chouji! You probably have just ruined the entertainment for tonight," Naruto whined jokingly._

_Lee though was apologizing profoundly, "I am sorry for yelling so youthfully at you, I did not know it was sake."_

_I just shook my head, happy that we stopped him from going all crazy, and poured the sake into an elixir bottle before handing it back to Lee, "Keep it for emergencies; you've been practicing the drunken fist right?"_

_Lee nodded, I nodded right back, and walked toward the exit before Chouji grabbed me and sat me back down at the bar. I groaned as I remembered I still had to do the contest._

"_Ready to drink, Shikamaru?" Chouji asked as he sat down himself and took the bottle of now cool sake._

_I remember gulping slightly before taking my own bottle. On the count of three we downed the alcohol quickly. I felt myself sway in my seat and then everything went fuzzy. When I finally gained back my sight, my head was throbbing horribly. Naruto was laughing so hard he was crying and clutching his sides, Sasuke and Neji were looking at me incredulously and were laughing themselves. Lee was in shock and sitting at a broken table that seemed to have been broken by an oddly shaped pineapple. Chouji had his head in his hands as the bartender was just staring at me._

_His face turned purple as he yelled, "GET OUT OF MY BAR!"_

_Naruto and Chouji helped me up and supported me as I walked out, Sasuke and Neji trailed after us still biting back fits of laughter. The next morning Chouji informed me that right after I downed the alcohol I went as loopy as Lee and tore up the place. The pineapple imprint was from when I smacked my head into the table so hard my hair even left a dent._

_But the worse part was… I had lost the bet._

_**Normal Time:**_

Ino noticed the nostalgic look on Shikamaru's face and nudged him lightly to get his attention. Shikamaru turned his head toward her and she gave a smile causing a similar lip curl grace his own face.

"Shika-kun… Could you please get me that deer?" Ino said pointing to a huge plush deer that hung from the side of the game stand.

Shikamaru bit his lip, looked at her smiling face, and his resolve faded. He walked up to the stand and paid the man 2 ryu the man set the five shots before him and he downed them as quick as he could before his mind clouded over, he took the dart in his hand and threw a loud _THWAK_ sounded as he hit smack-dab in the middle of the dart wheel and hiccups escaped his lips. Ino's brows furrowed, and she went up to him.

"Shikamaru?" She called his name curiously putting a hand on his shoulder and then jumping away half-frightened as he fell on his back laughing.

"I hit it and I don't feel drunk!" Shikamaru said smiling wide.

Everyone around them just shook their heads and walked away from the scene. Ino felt the urge to smack her fiancé upside the head, but just ended up giggling as he sprang to his feet and gave her the huge plush deer.

_**On the Other Side of the Fair:**_

Ten-Ten giggled as Neji's tempered flared higher and higher as he attempted to throw rings onto the neck of bottles. The man had prohibited the use of the Byakugan as soon as he saw Neji's white Hyuga eyes. And there was a distortion in the base of the game stand to make it even harder to get a ring on. As Neji was about to destroy the booth Ten-Ten took the remaining three rings and tossed them with apparent skill. All three rested on three separate bottles. The sleazy guy that was running the stand stood speechless and Neji just crossed his arms, a bit jealous of his girlfriend, but that faded quickly as he got a quick kiss on his cheek for trying. She chose a small figurine of a bird and a panda both staring up at the beholder, the bird was perched on the panda's head and the panda had a grin on its face.

Neji laughed at the apparent symbolism and they strode away together for a bite to eat. Neji held her closely at the waist, making her feel secure, something Ten-Ten rather enjoyed. But unwilling memories of a time where she had no one to make her feel secure flooded her brain.

_**Flashback #2:**_

_I didn't know what had happened, people just came and said sorry, then I finally understood, I had been left alone. People stopped coming to my house after my parents had passed, I was forgotten and I stayed in my house until the demolishing crew came. They saw me and cast me out, not caring for a broken young girl. I wandered the streets for a while and that's when I first met Neji, but it was only a passing thing. He helped me up after some bullies pushed me down and threatened them with his Hyuga eyes. I tried to ask him his name but he had to leave._

_So I kept wandering around, the first few nights I slept under a bench, it was good enough. But I swear I kept seeing flashes of golden running past. I finally was resorting to stealing food since there was no way I was going to go to the orphanage, I had once seen one of the children getting beat, I never found out who though._

_Then one day I snuck into the steel smith's store, I needed a weapon if I was going to survive in the city. I took the nearest weapon which was a cut down katana, the length of about my arm at the time, still pretty heavy though. I was about to sneak back out when I heard something crash to the floor and people laughing cruelly._

_I looked around curiously and headed to a door where I had heard it from. I grew very angry at what I saw. A man, he still looked like an old guy to my five year old mind, he couldn't have been older than 25, was being kicked repetitively by two other men in the stomach. I screamed really loud to get their attention and the attention of two people outside. The men ran at me yelling for me to shut up as the other two people entered the shop and yelled for them to stop. _

_One was a woman and the other a man, the two didn't seem to care about the female, but when they saw the male they bolted. I looked at the man and saw he had out two sickles that I always saw farmers hacking away at their plants with. The man that had been kicked crawled out from the back room still wincing and thanked the sickle man. He nodded and his companion helped the guy up._

_They all cast looks at me and I suddenly got scared at just being there so I ran. I didn't stop at their shouts and I curled up under my bench and slept._

"Ten-Ten!"

Ten-Ten snapped out of her reverie blinking back tears. She looked around at her surroundings; Neji was holding her shoulders, concern shining through his eyes. She was seated on a bench away from the fair, and then she saw how badly her hands were shaking.

"Are you okay?" Neji asked quietly, his hand now running through her brown locks.

Ten-Ten closed her eyes as a few tears leaked out and she began to laugh quietly before hugging him around the middle. Neji looked a bit confused but held her nonetheless. Ten-Ten looked up at the man she loved and just buried her head in the crook of his neck.

"Neji Hyuga, never let me go," She whispered.

Neji tightened his hold on her, "Nm."

Ten-Ten brought her head back up to get a look at him and then brought their lips together into a slow kiss.

_**With our favorite loudmouth:**_

Naruto had a smile of determination and glee as he walked away from the small exchange of words he had had with Gaara, new hope was running through his veins, as well as excitement, but a way to help someone he cared about always excited him. He wrapped his arms around Hinata and, to her giggling delight spun her 'round.

"What's up Naru-kun?" Hinata asked giggling.

Naruto shook his head and just walked with her around the fair and noticed his mother staring woefully at an old bingo book that sat on a fair game's prize shelf.

And soon enough Naruto was sweating as he faced off against one of the most powerful opponents he had ever faced, the magic wand fair ground game. The idea of the game is to take a metal wand that had a ring attached to the end and move it carefully around a chakra infused moving length of thin metal, without touching it, or you would be gently shocked.

"Damn it!" Naruto yelled as the wand touched the metal and a painful shock was sent up his arm.

He flinched away from it and growled as he looked up at the booth keeper. She was a smug looking girl, no older than eleven.

"Why you little… You said it would be a gentle shock! Not some freaking lightning jutsu!" Naruto yelled at the arrogant girl.

The girl just rolled her eyes and giggled in an overly sarcastic manner. Naruto was held back by Hinata and Kushina as he yelled at the girl indignantly. They pulled him away and Hinata watched quietly as Kushina chastised her son for yelling at a child. And sighed as Naruto, the Hokage, was pouting like a child as he argued with his mother.

"She was obviously making it impossible for us to succeed, and I really wanted to win something!" Naruto tried to tell his mother.

"Naruto, you are Hokage, and winning is not everything, you cannot lose your cool like that!" Kushina reprimanded.

"I understand, and apologize, but I wish to contest something that you have just said; winning is everything, when you are trying to win for your precious people," Naruto said in his formal tone, his childishness lost.

Kushina's eye softened sadly, "You're so much like your father Naruto."

Naruto smiled, "Thank you."

Kushina's eyes were happy again as she turned around to leave.

"Well, I will be going to go get us some seats for the ceremony since it starts in twenty

minutes," Kushina said smiling.

"But isn't it a bit too early, Kushina-san?" Hinata asked.

"Don't be silly! It's never too early!" Kushina announced enthusiastically as she walked away.

"U-umm okay," Hinata responded at her retreating figure.

Naruto fought back a laugh as it came as Hinata looked genuinely confused at the way his mother acted. He put an arm around her and they walked without a care by the fair, well, Naruto was at least trying, right after this festival, he needed to tell Gaara what that soldier had told him exactly and look for a certain type of cure-all cactus said to be hidden in the deserts of Suna. Everything was going fine so far, he almost couldn't believe it. They both sat down as Naruto just began to laugh, he was laughing so hard he began to cry and Hinata wrapped her arms around him.

"Naruto? Are you okay?" Hinata asked a bit worried.

Naruto wiped his tears and stopped his laughter, but his jolly nature did not falter as he spoke, "Hai Hinata-chan, I'm just… I'm just so happy. I have a mother, I have you, I have great friends, Gaara says there may be a cure to Sakura's condition in the desert, and so far, everything is going almost perfect."

Hinata smiled and kissed the cheek of her fiancé, the smile turning into a grin as he wrapped his strong arms around her petite frame. She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his chest, the world seemed to go on without them for those few moments, the burdens that they both felt were gone, if only for a while as they rocked slightly back and forth, both entranced by the other as they held on tight.

_**With Gaara:**_

He couldn't believe it, he just couldn't. Gaara's, along with many of the people in standing in the crowd, mouth was ajar as he stared on up at the stage in front of him. It was just a pie eating contest, nothing really special. Except, the three children he had to look over were sitting in three of the seats.

All three had taken it upon themselves to challenge the pie eating champion of Sunagakure, a corpulent man that, children believed, if he was poked he would cough out the elephant he had to have eaten to get so overweight. The prize was one-thousand ryu, per person, or three-thousand for the man if he won. His chuckle as he agreed to take on the three children as a team was an amused gurgle at best, disgusting, but not horrifying as Kabuto's gurgling laugh was, maybe it was the lack of blood... But still, the kids climbed up on stage and the only thing that stopped the all mighty ruler of the sand village was a woman hugging his midsection.

"Gaara-sama please? They'll have fun! And if that fat lard comes anywhere near them, we're strong enough to take him, so please?" Matsuri pleaded with the cutest eyes she could muster as she stared up at Gaara.

His resolve crumbled when he saw those eyes, to hide it, he just grunted and stood up straight to watch the children and make sure nothing happened. Matsuri smiled and proceeded to let him go, when Gaara turned his head toward her, a small frown on his face, as he stuck out his bottom lip a bit farther than most. Matsuri's eyes widened and she swore the world was about to end. Subaku no Gaara was pouting. The disbelief that she had written across her face made the pale skin on his cheeks flush red and he turned his head back to where it was watching the children.

Matsuri smiled and felt warmth spread through her chest. She leaned into him an arm wrapped around his back for support and Gaara almost jumped out of his skin. Finally realizing she was holding onto him, he put an arm around her shoulders and a small smile formed on his lips.

'_I guess that loudmouth was right, pouting is a good way to get closer to her,'_ Gaara thought back to a conversation he and Naruto had in slightly hushed tones on the way to the festival.

He turned his eyes back to the stage and saw the huge stack of pies being brought out. He counted it at 20 for each side. He sighed, the children were going to have a hard time winning this but he might as well chuckle at how they try. The man hosting the whole thing raised his arm and the children's determined and excited eyes followed it. The man's beady eyes were concentrating on that hand as well.

"Ready?" The announcer bellowed.

The children leaned towards their stack of twenty pies as did the man.

"Set?" Came the announcer's voice once again.

The man raised his flabby arms as Fubuki grinned like a mad scientist showing off her fangs to the two boys on either side of her to which they joined in.

"GO!" Yelled the man and as soon as his arm came down there were bits and pieces of pie flying everywhere.

The morbidly obese man had started by grabbing a pie and stuffing it into his face chomping as if his teeth were a motor. Kawari had dug his fingers into a pie and began stuffing it into his mouth chewing sparsely and swallowing quickly, Akoaiji was doing the same thing. People gasped though as they saw that as the man finished his first pie the children's team already had two pies done. Both by the same person.

Fubuki.

She dug her face in and ate just as she did back at home… Except here, she was actually wanted. She threw another pie saucer onto the pile she was making, as the boys finished their first pie, and their grins grew ever larger and they kept digging in.

Only twenty minutes later, the children were done and the extremely heavy man had still three pies to go. He stood up when they finished so quickly, his stomach crashed into his table and it fell.

"Those brats had to have cheated, come here you little fuckers so I can pound you into paste!" The fat man ranted as he stomped toward them.

Gaara and Matsuri were in motion so fast they left a small breeze behind them, but they were not needed as the man had frozen in his track, his beady eyes, trying to widen in fear. Gaara followed his gaze and only Fubuki stood there, but then he heard it, the low growling of a wolf, then it washed over him, the very faint killer intent radiating from the girl, even though it seemed to be much stronger due to the tenseness in the air. Her eyes flashed reddish amber and her pupils became slits.

"Come near my pack mates and I will carve your hide into something so unrecognizable, no one could care to even guess it was you, and with your already horrid smelling flesh, people will just burn it and forget," She whispered in a cold voice she used to make her brothers keep away from her when they get feisty.

The man squeaked and backed up before waddling away in a futile attempt to run. Gaara's eyes stayed on Fubuki, hands formed in a seal if he needed to subdue the girl. He felt the tenseness in the air drift away; the killer intent vanished, as did the low growling. Fubuki straightened herself up and smiled back at the boys who were behind her. They smiled right back and walked up to her as they began to cheer for their win.

The crowd joined in happily and Gaara relaxed, he looked over at Matsuri and she was smiling happily at the scene, but was not as alert as he was.

"Matsuri, did you feel that killer intent?" Gaara asked.

Matsuri blinked twice and looked at him, "What killer intent?"

Gaara almost let his eyes widen, but thought better of it and controlled his emotions, "Never mind, I must have been paranoid."

Matsuri nodded, reached up, and ruffled his hair, "You're working way too hard if you feel that by mistake."

"Nm." Was Gaara's verbal answer to her comment, but in his mind questions were whirling around and being formed. He looked around at all the people around him in the crowd; they didn't seem to notice it either.

'_What is that girl? To be able to hide such killer intent from me as well as the whole crowd… What happened to her eyes? Is she a Jinchuuriki?'_

Gaara had no idea, but he was determined to find out. He walked up and was forming seals he had learned from a medic nin, it was used to help people with post-traumatic stress disorder sort out their memories. He placed a hand on her head and was determined to see her past, she grabbed his arm and her eyes widened with alarm as it was placed on her head and then Gaara was bombarded with images.

-----------

Gasp! It's a… MINI-CLIFF!

And there's the TWENTIETH chapter! So happy and fluffy… right before we delve into the morose and twisted memories of a young wolf.


	21. A Second Villain

Hey guys, back quickly because I wanted to put this out before FCAT, damn standardized tests. Now, I really wanted to establish Fubuki's summon animal background, and the sum up those little hints I cast about her history with her family.

Now let us enter into the mind of a summon animal… But first a little recap.

_**Recap**_

'_**What is that girl? To be able to hide such killer intent from me as well as the whole crowd… What happened to her eyes? Is she a Jinchuuriki?'**_

_**Gaara had no idea, but he was determined to find out. He walked up and was forming seals he had learned from a medic nin, it was used to help people with post-traumatic stress disorder sort out their memories. He placed a hand on her head and was determined to see her past, she grabbed his arm and her eyes widened with alarm as it was placed on her head and then Gaara was bombarded with images.**_

_**Fubuki's Mindscape**_

Gaara landed in a dark place, wisps of smoke surrounding the ceiling, obscuring it from view. He looked around curiously, asking himself, for what other reason, other than being maltreated all her life, would a young happy girl have a dank cave as her mindscape. He was shaken out of his thoughts as he heard a wolf howl. He walked toward the dark spot that he heard the distressed howl come from.

Slowly it became lighter and he saw three wolves. A male wolf, almost Gaara's height stood growling, the male's golden mane was standing on edge in anger as he cornered two other wolves, two females. One was stood as tall as his neck, snow white fur that shone brightly, even in the dim light, and the other was definitely a cub, barely coming up to his knee and her fur had much less luster, though it was the same snow white as the larger female.

He stood still, and as the med nin had told him, as memories play out, he could do nothing to interfere or risk mentally damaging the person forever. He saw as the male wolf got closer to the females.

"You whore, how dare you even think of bringing this weak pup into my range sight!" Growled the male wolf angrily, claws digging into the ground he walked on.

"Don't you say that about our daughter! Fubuki is your heir whether you like it or not! Those damn sons of yours a-" The large female wolf growled right back, the smaller female cub got behind her mother.

Gaara stared at the young cub in amazement, _'It can't be… That girl, Fubuki… she's a wolf?'_

But he sprung forward as soon as the male wolf lunged at the large female when she spoke of sons and forced himself to stop before he interfered. He grit his teeth as he saw the male wolf slash his claws at the large female's muzzle before tackling her and ripping her throat out with his teeth. Fubuki let out a high-pitched mix between an angry bark and a distressed whine before she growled and attacked the large male. She bit his muzzle hard and paws were frenzied as she clawed at his eyes.

The male howled out loudly as blood poured down from his now ruined eyes and he flung the young cub away. Three other male golden wolves entered and attacked her as her form began to change into one of a baby.

"You're a bitch, just like your damn mother," the largest, now blind, male wolf growled as the scene before Gaara brightened considerably.

Gaara shielded his eyes and hissed as the bright light stung at his eyes. When he reopened them and blinked out the stubborn spots, he was in the middle of a meadow, wolf packs were gathered around a huge boar corpse, the dead boar was as big as his office at the Kazekage tower. He searched for Fubuki's snow white fur among the dark grays, browns, and blacks. When he finally spotted her, he was disgusted. The three wolves that had attacked her in the previous memory Gaara had watched, were shifting their forms into those of three young men. One stomped on her neck to keep her down as the others kicked her.

"You won't live to be heir you damn mongrel!" One shouted angrily.

"We'll make sure of it!" The other two shouted.

The other wolves were turning a blind eye, though many were tense, fur bristling angrily as they chewed their meat. Gaara grit his teeth and bit his lip so hard blood began to flow from his lip. Then everything shifted; the smell of decay and dead bodies hitting his senses, and suddenly Fubuki was lying on her stomach and looking up at a bloodied Nara Shikamaru, a summoning contract in his trembling hands.

"Wh-Who are you?" Fubuki's voice trembled.

"I-I am Nara Shikamaru, the new holder of the wolf summoning contract. Wh-What happened to you, you look so messed up?" Shikamaru kneeled down, careful not to irritate his wounds anymore than he had already done.

He stroked Fubuki's ears lightly and Fubuki whimpered quietly. Then med nins rushed onto the scene, they kneeled next to the bloodied man, and began checking him over at that very moment.

"Look her over as well?" Shikamaru asked staring kindly at the wolf.

They nodded and Fubuki looked uncomfortable as they ran their hands, gleaming green with healing chakra over her white fur. Though she soon relaxed and let them carry on. Shikamaru, his wounds wrapped, picked up the larger than average wolf, and slung her carefully over his shoulder as he began to introduce himself in more detail.

The scene faded once again and he looked around to see the familiar meadow again. He growled as he saw the wolves circling Fubuki. Sneering and calling her a whore for going to the 'ninken' world. She just lashed out and two of them were blinded.

"I am no whore. I am Fubuki Ishiteki, daughter of Kitsui Ishiteki, the alpha female, murdered by that golden bastard Akki Akuin, whom I had the pleasure of gouging his eyes out as I have yours!" Fubuki shouted, her canines grinding together ferociously.

Then the golden three pushed their way through the shocked crowd of wolves.

"You slut, we'll put you in your place!" The three shouted.

"Akuhei, Akujou, and Akuji," Fubuki spat as if the names were something nasty in her mouth.

Then they charged her from behind and one of them kept her down with their forelegs as she screamed, hollered, and struggled. Gaara looked on confused as the largest one of them circled around to her backside.

'_What is he doing?!'_ Gaara didn't know what was happening until it rang out in his mind.

His eyes widened as he forgot the rules of the mind and ran forward kicking the wolf away from Fubuki as the sick bastard tried to enter her. Everything faded and then he was in a white hallway, doors running up and down it as Fubuki in her wolf form shifted into her human form.

"_**You're not supposed to be here!"**_ Fubuki yelled out at him, _**"No one is supposed to be here! No one is supposed to know what those bastards did to me!"**_

Tears began to run down her cheeks as she balled her petite hands into fists. Gaara looked on with pity in his eyes, and for that a small hand with a lot of force behind it smashed into his cheek. He reeled back from the sheer shock of a little girl being able to punch that hard.

"_**Don't you dare look at me with eyes of pity!"**_ Fubuki choked out.

Gaara just looked at her and pet her head lightly, "I'm sorry…"

Fubuki just dropped to her knees and cried. Gaara frowned and lifted the child up to try and comfort her.

"_**Get out."**_

Gaara looked confused before he felt himself being forcefully pulled out of Fubuki's mind. He clung to her to keep inside her mind, the pulling stopped.

"_**Please, leave me alone,"**_ Fubuki muttered miserably.

Gaara shook his head and rocked the small girl. Fubuki stopped crying and just stared emotionlessly at the ceiling.

Gaara set her down carefully, "I apologize for intruding Fubuki-san, I hope that I will be forgiven."

"_**Nm. Gaara-sama, leave my head promptly and promise never to use the jutsu you used on me on anyone I considered a dear person and I will forgive you."**_ Fubuki said quietly.

Gaara raised his thumb to his mouth, bite down hard on it, drawing blood. He kneeled and wrote, 'I promise' in blood before he left.

Fubuki smiled at the gesture and waved her hand over it, the blood became as if it were engraved in the floor.

_**During Gaara's Visit To Fubuki's Mindscape**_

Matsuri ran up and screamed as both Gaara's and Fubuki's bodies crumpled to the floor. All the blood ran out of Akoaiji's face as he ran over to Fubuki. He began to shake her lightly.

"Fubuki! Fubuki! Please! What's wrong?! Fubuki wake up!" Akoaiji shouted himself hoarse trying to awake the young girl as Matsuri and Kawari attempted the same thing with the red head nearby.

Doctors ran up and tried to take Fubuki and Gaara, Matsuri helped them lift up Gaara, while Akoaiji fought tooth and nail to keep the doctors away from Fubuki.

"You can't take her!" He yelled out at them his arms were wrapped protectively around the girl and he bore his teeth.

His shouting attracted the attention of the two people able to calm him down. Shikamaru and Ino both fought their way through the crowd and past the doctors to where Akoaiji had bitten a man to force him back.

"Akoaiji! Calm down right now!" Shikamaru commanded sternly.

Akoaiji stopped his snarling, but his arms remained around Fubuki. He looked away from Shikamaru and locked eyes with the woman he considered a mother. Ino almost cried at the look in his eyes. There was fear, panic, worry, anger, and just about every other negative emotion he could show. Ino knew none of it was aimed at her, but to see his eyes like that… It reminded her of the maltreated boy he once was.

She scooped the children up and Akoaiji relaxed even more, his arms now loosely around the girl he had been holding. Ino sighed and smiled softly at the two while the doctors looked on amazed that she and Shikamaru could soothe the savage beast. Fubuki's eyes then began to blink open as she looked around and just clung to Akoaiji. Akoaiji just cocked his head to one side but held on as well, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable.

The four heard the high pitched squeal as Matsuri tackled Gaara and smothered him with kisses to his face, some of the women in the gathered crowd growing very envious. Everything calmed down and the crowd began to dissipate as the children split up their earnings. Fubuki though, still held onto Akoaiji, albeit, holding his hand or clinging to his arm, not that the boy seemed to mind.

Gaara, Matsuri, Kawari, Shikamaru, Ino, Fubuki, and Akoaiji all walked together to the center stage where the honors were going to be given. Gaara and Shikamaru made sure everyone was together before heading to the stage.

-----------

The young pale assassin cocked his head as he saw the amount of money his new boss was giving him.

"So, I just have to disregard Kabuto's orders, kidnap three kids, and give them to you? That's it?" He said, positioning himself carefully near a window in case things went sour.

"That is all," spoke the figure, he was smirking happily. He was missing an arm and eye, but he had no fear of this young boy knowing his identity.

"And, I will even help you to disappear from Kabuto's range of sight, which I think you know spreads very far," The man said quietly, yet with force.

The young man suddenly looked panicky, "H-He can see us right now?"

The older man let out an ugly bark of laughter, "Of course not you idiot!"

The young man bit his lip, but finally nodded, "Yes Danzo-Sama, I will do your bidding."

"Good boy," Danzo said darkly, "Now Ikaru, the names of the children are, as of recent information, Kawari, Akoaiji, and Fubuki, though she may be in the form of a wolf."

"Do you understand your assignment?" Danzo barked out the question.

"Hai Danzo-sama, get in, wait for an opportunity, get the kids, get out, bring them here, and the mission is done," Ikaru said obediently.

Danzo's smirk grew wider, "Good Ikaru, and if the children are here within three days, I'll even free your fiancé from Kabuto."

Ikaru tensed and bowed lowly, "Hai Danzo-sama."

Danzo nodded and dismissed him before turning around and chuckling evilly, _'that small promise made that idiot boy completely loyal…'_

"Too bad when those kids arrive, he'll just be a used tool. Not worth anymore of my time, and he shall be disposed of."

-----------­

Everyone watched intently as Gaara came up the stairs from behind the stage and began to speak.

"Welcome all," Gaara said as he poured chakra into his voice, causing it to amplify and carry over the huge crowd gathered around the stage.

"My people, exactly one year ago, on this very field, the sound attacked us unexpectedly, and we suffered in battle due to that," Gaara said in a solemn tone.

He looked out to his people to see many eyes downcast and many muscled tensed, so he continued.

"Even then, we had thought we were about to lose everything when a brave friend of mine, Suna Jounin Matai, took the over command of the western front as I led a backlash against those attacking from the north and east," Gaara saw the citizens brighten and cheer both his and Matai's name.

"Alas, Matai was wounded, and we were once again pushed back," Gaara saw anger flare in many of the soldiers in the crowd that were on the front.

"Then when all hope was almost utterly destroyed by the sound bastards, our allies from the leaf came to help us," Gaara looked out and got a mixed response.

Some cheered, some looked at their feet, but the majority looked honorably at Naruto and his friends who sat nearest to the stage.

Gaara signaled back to Shikamaru as he spoke once again, "Here today we have the current Kage of the Leaf Village, Naruto Namikaze, also known playfully as 'The Demon of the Leaf'," Naruto blanched at that, but chuckled in the end, " 'The Blind Terror' although I assure you he is not blind." Gaara cleared up before Neji was bombarded with questions after the speech.

"I am also a bit saddened to hear that the final Uchiha is not in our presence, but for good reason," Gaara continued as Shikamaru finally took his place beside him, "But here is the great strategist in their ranks, one man that if he had not given his strategic knowledge to our own advisors, I doubt we would be standing here free."

He moved aside and Shikamaru paled considerably as Gaara and the whole village before him stared at him intently.

'_He didn't tell me I had to speak at this!'_ Shikamaru thought as he cleared his throat.

"Ah-hem, hello again residents of Suna, it is an honor to see that as a lowly strategist, I am still held in high regard," Shikamaru said jokingly, hoping not to do anything stupid.

He sweatdropped as there was complete silence and was about to apologize when everyone in the crowd broke out in peels of laughter. He sighed and continued on with things that just randomly popped into his mind, soon enough the ceremony was over and he was walking down with Gaara from the stage.

Ino ran up and embraced him smiling happily. Shikamaru felt as if he was soaring as he returned the embrace with vigor, picking her up off the ground and twirling her around. Fubuki and Akoaiji both joined in as well, to anyone they would look like family… a very strange family, but family.

Naruto smiled softly as his arm tightened around Hinata, his mother stood back and watched them all, giggling and smiling as if they were all her children. Neji was actually holding Sokkou, as he had finally given into the two year olds demands. Ten-Ten cooed over the small baby, making Sokkou beam happily.

Gaara looked on and his stomachs did uncomfortable flips, he stood back away from the group, just observing, before he felt two slender arms wrap around his torso as a head came to rest on his back. He froze for a second and looked back, Matsuri was looking back up at him and she smiled.

Then he saw it, a light in her eyes that was there ever since the day he began to train her. It was so captivating, so calming, yet it made his heart pound wildly, almost as if it were going to break his ribs. He turned in her arms, placed a hand on her cheek, and using his thumb, stroked her cheek softly.

Matsuri's eyes now showed determination, she opened her mouth to speak, "Gaara, I've known you for a long time now, and I want you to know I l-"

She was cut off as Kawari crashed into them and sent all three of them rolling onto the ground. Dust was kicked up everywhere; people were coughing, sputtering, and cursing. Finally when it all cleared thanks to a Jyuuken spin that got rid of the dust, something was missing. Gaara looked around desperately and saw that Shikamaru was having the same problem.

The children were gone.

Gaara helped Matsuri up and began hollering loudly for the children as Ikaru leapt away, a hogtied child over each shoulder and one in his arms.

'_Lila, I'm coming,'_ He thought determinedly as he ran quickly with the children, farther and father away from Sunagakure.

-----------

Le _**gasp!**_ TWO villains?! One tragically misled fool in love?! _**A CLIFF HANGER?!?!?**_ Oh, I love twists. Don't you? Well, trust me, the outcome is something strange. Well, remember, reviews make cliffhangers go away faster. : )

_Vally27_


	22. The Future Seemed Bright

Hey…

Hey…. Have you noticed I almost always start off like that? With just a 'hey'? Oh, well… : ) Sorry for this being late, but remember, education and family before fanfiction.

Now… let's get this chapter going, kay, and let's see how Fubuki acts if someone goes beyond threatening her pack mates. Oh… and sorry for the shortness of the chapter, but t'is necessary. The next chapter will be a bit of a recollection, you'll get what I mean later though.

_**Recap:**_

_**Danzo's smirk grew wider, "Good Ikaru, and if the children are here within three days, I'll even free your fiancé from Kabuto."**_

_**Ikaru tensed and bowed lowly, "Hai Danzo-sama."**_

_**Danzo nodded and dismissed him before turning around and chuckling evilly, 'that small promise made that idiot boy completely loyal…'**_

"_**Too bad when those kids arrive, he'll just be a used tool, not worth anymore of my time, and he shall be disposed of."**_

_**--­**_

_**Gaara looked around desperately and saw that Shikamaru was having the same problem.**_

_**The children were gone.**_

_**Gaara helped Matsuri up and began hollering loudly for the children as Ikaru leapt away, a hogtied child over each shoulder and one in his arms.**_

'_**Lila, I'm coming,' He thought determinedly as he ran quickly with the children, farther and father away from Sunagakure. **_

--

"Itai…" Fubuki muttered as she sat up and clutched her throbbing head.

She looked around and suddenly felt frantic when she didn't see her pack mates and stood up, pushing the dizziness to the back of her mind and stumbled toward a bright light.

"Kawari? Akoaiji? Where are you?" Fubuki sniffed and twitched.

Her small form began to tremble greatly as she recognized the scent and shifted form. Her fur was bristling as she channeled that fear into hatred and growled lowly as a lone golden wolf stepped forward.

"Where are your bastard brothers Akuhei?" She snarled, curling her lips back to show her half-brother her razor sharp incisors, ready to be stained red with his blood.

The wolf pulled his own black lips back in what looked like a smirk, "Well, well, well, Fubuki, we were beginning to believe you abandoned our world."

"I did, a long time ago. And as the true leader, I had to leave someone else in charge; did you not wonder why the pack has shunned you and your brothers without having me in the summon world?" Fubuki asked tauntingly.

Akuhei's golden mane bristled in barely contained fury as he charged forward and swiped his claws at his white maned half-sister, catching her shoulder with the frenzied attack. Fubuki winced as she felt his claws rip through her flesh, her head shot forward, and jaws snapped closed on Akuhei's foreleg, Fubuki's knife-like teeth tearing through his flesh like paper. Akuhei howled in pain and swiped with his free foreleg at her face, and Fubuki, not wanting to be condemned to the fate she had forced upon the evil ones of her pack, let go and backed up, heading deeper into the cave. The little light they had before quickly faded, and both wolves were soon shrouded in darkness, only flashes of color gave away their positions.

Fubuki smirked when she felt mud under her paws as she kept moving deeper into the cave, her half-brother trying in vain to find her and maim her. She laid down in the mud as quietly as she could and carefully rolled around to spread the mud over her white fur, the dark coat obscuring her scent and blending in greatly with the darkness. She waited for the flash of golden that was sure to come at her fool brother moving too quickly. When she saw that golden flicker of movement she stood and rushed toward where it had been. Now her half-brother was in her range of sight and with great luck, she still wasn't in his. She barked loudly and as he turned his head, her jaws found his neck, Akuhei let out a dying whimper, and his throat was ripped out. Fubuki spat the slimy blood covered jugular out and shivered as his blood spilled out from her mouth, yet, some sadistic part of her mind was more than pleased.

She shook her head violently and tried to get those thoughts out of her head, the last thing she wanted was her primal instincts taking her over. She walked out of the cave and looked around at the forest. It was night for sure and there was stream running quietly. She walked forward and into the stream, trying to get the caked mud and blood off of her. When she was just about done everything shifted and she was standing in front of nine stressed out adults.

"Fubuki!" Shikamaru shouted as he ran forward, "Where were the other children before you returned to your summon world?"

Fubuki shifted into her child form and tears filled her eyes as she flew into Shikamaru's arms crying hard. Shikamaru flinched but held the young girl tight, comforting her as she cried. After a few minutes she calmed down and wriggled out of Shikamaru's grip.

"I need something that would have their scent on it, I can track them down if I can just get that," Fubuki said quietly.

The gathered nine adults nodded and Ino picked up Fubuki before beginning to run back to the hotel. Shikamaru was up ahead, getting people out of the way as they raced through the village. Gaara and Matsuri broke off from the main group to get something of Kawari's and the other seven continued onwards to the hotel.

Shikamaru raced up the stairs and looked around for Akoaiji's discarded clothes from when the boy had been changing. He ran into the bathroom and sighed in relief as he found his shirt on the bathroom floor. He ran back out to where the rest were waiting and walked straight to Fubuki.

"Here," He muttered as he handed her Akoaiji's shirt.

Fubuki jumped down from Ino's arms and shifted into her wolf form, surprising many hotel guests, and sniffed the shirt, memorizing Akoaiji's scent. As she finished Gaara and Matsuri returned, Gaara had an iron grip on some of Kawari's old bandages and held them out for Fubuki to sniff. After Fubuki had memorized both smells they ran back to the fairgrounds.

"Well?" Shikamaru asked as Fubuki sniffed around.

Fubuki picked up her head and muttered, "South by southwest wind carried the scent over…."

She began to run eastward, a dead serious look on her face, "This way come on!"

Gaara looked on surprised before running after the wolf, _'It is almost hard to believe she is a child, the way she is at times.'_

'_I'm coming guys, just hold on!'_ Fubuki pleaded in her mind as she raced on.

--

"Fuck, fuck, **FUCK!**" Ikaru growled as he paced around the campsite.

On his way back to Konohagakure, he had dropped the children, Fubuki receiving the worst blow, and had been sent back to her summon world. He punched the nearest tree so hard he felt his life's essence flowing from his damaged knuckles to all over his fist. He looked over at the knocked out children and grimaced.

"Why in the seven hells are you two so important to these sick bastards?" He asked to no one in particular.

He sighed and sat against a tree, tomorrow he would search for the girl again, for now, he would rest. He closed his eyes and mentally reached out to all the chakra traps he had set; satisfied that no one was caught in them, Ikaru drifted off to sleep.

That was when Akoaiji found it safe to open his eyes. He groped for the sharp stone he had gotten when they had all fallen and sighed in relief as he felt it in between his fingers. He glanced over at Kawari and frowned; the older boy had a big blackish-blue bruise covering the side of his face from the fall and was down for the count. Akoaiji rubbed the stone hard against the ropes binding his hands. He felt one of the ropes snap and sighed as his raw wrists were given some relief from the pain of being so tightly bound. He stole a nervous glance at his captor and strained his hearing to try and catch the sound of deep breathing that would confirm being in a deep sleep.

'_Good, he's really asleep,'_ Akoaiji let out the breath he had been holding and slipped his hands out of the now slack ropes and moved over to where Kawari was lying in a disheveled heap.

He rolled the boy carefully onto his stomach and began to rub the sharp stone at the ropes constricting Kawari's wrists. The poor boy didn't even notice the awakening man behind him. Ikaru bit back a growl as he awoke to Akoaiji trying to free Kawari. He stood up without a sound and swooped over striking the young boy hard in the head, Akoaiji fell to the forest floor with a grunt of pain, and then was still.

"I better get moving," Ikaru muttered as he picked up both unconscious children and ran at a quick pace back toward the village hidden in the leaves.

--

Fubuki growled as she passed where the three of them had been dropped and continued her fast, but strenuous pace. Shikamaru, Naruto, and Gaara were still following, the others doubling back to get some hunter nin. When they saw the approaching skyline of Konohagakure, Naruto and Shikamaru suddenly had a sick feeling in their stomachs as they closed in on the gates.

"Open the gates!" Naruto yelled out to the guards, they saw the Rokudaime Hokage along with the Godaime Kazekage and began to open them when Fubuki, not wanting to waste time cleared the high wall in one leap.

Shinobi on gate duty raced after the huge white wolf that raced toward the Hokage tower, just avoiding any thrown weapons meant to slow her down. Naruto and Gaara shouted themselves hoarse telling the antsy shinobi to stand down as they followed Fubuki. Fubuki was about to ram into the side of the tower when she leapt high into the air, becoming even larger as she shifted into a form only Shikamaru, Naruto, Neji, Sasuke, and Chouji had seen. Her snow white fur was now midnight black, she was now at least 15 feet long and taller than two men. Fubuki dug her claws into the tower and began to scale it. People that had just arrived to the scene were frightened out of their minds, some even began to throw things, thinking Fubuki was hostile when a sudden gust picked up and in a whirl of leaves, Sasuke stood in his battle uniform, his swords ready.

"Everyone stand down!" He barked before nodding back to Naruto and the rest who forced chakra into their feet and began to run up the side of the tower just as Fubuki had.

Fubuki breathed in deeply sniffing the air and grimaced, she smelt iron becoming more and more pronounced. She shifted into her smaller wolf form and dove through a window into the room meant for council meetings. A scream rang out and the three that were scaling the tower picked up speed and jumped into the room. Fubuki was in her child form, bent over, throwing up.

Blood covered the council table; two massacred bodies lay in an almost foolish position for what they had suffered. It was a man and a woman; their clothes were torn asunder as if stabbed over a hundred times. The man held the woman tightly, as if he had tried to take the brunt of whatever did this to the bodies, in the dim light you could almost make out the tears in their eyes.

"Love, what a useless emotion," Boomed a taunting voice.

All four heads turned and Danzo sat there, his chapped lips in a sadistic smirk. Lying in front of him were two figures, hard to make out in the dim lights. Then Fubuki gained her senses back, she let out a strangled gasp and shifted into her wolf form once again.

Her eyes had changed, her warm amber eyes were replaced with a deep crimson, the same color of the blood that surrounded them. Her almost human-like pupils, waned into slits, her fur bristled on edge as if her own life force was ebbing out of her, her snow white fur changed once again, dark red bleeding into the white until it looked as if she had just come back from one of the bigger battles of the war with Shikamaru. Everyone twitched at the killer intent that suddenly filled the room.

"_**You hurt my pack mates,"**_ Fubuki's voice was a low guttural growl, anger in every syllable.

Shikamaru carefully made his way over and tried to reach out and calm her and she snapped her jaws at his hand, causing him to flinch back.

Danzo smirked, "Ahh, it is the wolf that idiot Ikaru didn't make it back with, so sad. He could have had a painless death with the woman he loved, but oh well; things don't always go the way we planned, right demon?"

Naruto growled and walked toward him. The two figures that were slumped before him suddenly jumped up and a wild howl entered the room; the two short figures had completely black eyes, their faces covered in what seemed to be an intricate seal, well at least the visible part of their faces, but then their hoods slid back. The four that had just entered the tower flinched. The two figures were Akoaiji and Kawari, half transformed into some type of creatures, on top of their heads two scraggly looking type of ears, at first glance they seemed to be dog ears. They bore their teeth as they jumped forward, their canines were enlarged and nails were grown into claws, as Naruto carefully pushed their attacks back.

Fubuki walked forward, her crimson fur rustling as waves of killer intent radiated from her and washed over the whole of the room, it even seemed to roll farther; an aura of silver could almost be seen at the edges of her fur.

But as she spoke this time, her words were not recognizable, _**"Opts! Uoy rae ont ruvolseyes! **_Tsi em, Fubuki! Andzo si kringct uoy_… Leaspe__**…"**_

She was yelling at first, but her voice came down by levels as she spoke. But it seemed to have an affect as the intricate seals began to recede and Danzo roared in anger. Gaara and Naruto both threw kunai meant to knock him out of his chair, but he used his own to block the attack. And grabbed the nearest boy, Akoaiji, which was just now pushing out of the haze his mind was in, Kawari slumped forward toward Gaara, who grabbed him as soon as he could. Danzo smirked and placed the cold steel to Akoaiji's neck.

"Let him go!" Naruto yelled.

Shikamaru's face went blank, and suddenly the room felt as if it had gotten lighter, as if something was chasing away the shadows… or collecting them. Behind his back, as quickly as he could go without Danzo noticing the build up of chakra reaching out and grabbing shadows. Danzo began to give demands as Akoaiji whimpered and Fubuki looked on, feeling useless and angry. Naruto set his jaw trying to think of any other options, as Gaara looked on stoically, attempting to find a weak spot that could make him drop the young boy. Shikamaru locked eyes with his adoptive son, and gave him a sign he had taught to him before going to Sunagakure.

Akoaiji did a very subtle nod that looked like he was just shifting his sight slightly. Danzo smirked as Naruto opened his mouth, the defeated look on Naruto's face showed that he just might get his demands. Then Akoaiji leaned his head against the chest of his captor and grabbed the arm of the man, pushing it away and running over to where his father was and at that same moment Shikamaru released the shadows he had collected.

His eyes were engulfed in a strange black sheen as he muttered the name of the technique he had used, "Kage Bakudan."

He threw the ball of shadows as hard as he could and as it connected, Danzo let out a scream. The shadows of the room jumped so quickly toward the man, a bright light shone as the sound of flesh being ripped apart filled the air, and then as quickly as it had happened; it had stopped. Only a wheelchair remained… Well a bloody wheelchair… ANBU finally flooded the room after disobeying the ANBU captain's direct orders and looked at the shocking view and the rescuers and the rescuees were bombarded with questions before Naruto yelled out loudly. All questions halted immediately and the room was silent.

Sasuke pushed his way through, a scowl on his face, "I gave all of you direct orders not to enter the room unless I deemed it necessary!"

The ANBU were silent as they now stood at attention. Sasuke kept reprieving all their actions until the very shinobi were pushed off balance as six women and two men entered the room. One of the women, sitting in a wheelchair made the most damage as she was wheeled in by a worried blonde woman. A purple haired woman and a blue haired woman almost burst into tears as they tackled the Hokage. A brunette choked out something between a sob and a sigh of relief as she ran to the Kazekage and the elder of the kidnapped boys and wrapped her shaking arms around them in a bone crushing hug. A man who wore face paint rolled his eyes and chuckled lightly as his brother turned different colors. A dark brunette sighed in relief at his friends being ok, as his had found the one of another brunette, her hair up in buns.

Sasuke's eyes almost bugged out of his head when the woman in the wheelchair showed up, "Sakura! What are you doing out of bed?!"

Sakura smiled weakly, but Sasuke noticed that her skin, that was as pale as a ghost before, had darkened slightly, she was just barely pale. She was also sitting up on her own, something she had not done in a while.

"How?" Sasuke muttered as he walked over, his back to his underlings, making sure they did not see the tears of joy in his eyes, not wanting to be taunted at the moment.

Sakura amazed him once again as she reached up on her own, without wincing or grimacing and placed a hand on his cheek, "They found the cure."

Gaara, who had finally been freed from Matsuri's grasp, looked at his elder brother with a questioning look.

"Saw the fruit on the way back, I remembered it from your descriptions, so I plucked some to get that mission over with," Kankuro said in a blasé tone.

Sasuke stood up straight, his back still facing his subordinates, and barked orders for them to clean up the bodies in the room, and to take them to the morgue for study.

Ino who had wheeled her best friend in, finally hurried over to her fiancé and her adoptive son, and clutched them both. Shikamaru returned the embrace and sighed as Akoaiji finally reacted and held on tight, sobbing lightly. Naruto held Hinata and sighed as his mother held the both of them. He suddenly blinked as a thought entered his mind and came out his mouth.

"Why are you guys all weepy and look so worried?" Naruto asked.

Hinata buried her head into the crook of his neck and muttered, "There was a killer intent so strong it washed over the whole village, apparently it wasn't anything like Kyuubi's aura, but it was still enough to cause panic and to start evacuations… It was emanating from the tower."

Naruto blinked and looked around. It suddenly struck him as his ears picked up light sobbing. He looked into a dark corner of the room and could make out a flash of something snow white. At this point Shikamaru began to look around a bit worriedly.

"Where's Fubuki?" He asked.

Naruto, who had slipped out of the tight hugs of the ones who loved him, nodded toward the corner he had been staring at. Shikamaru walked over there to find a sobbing young girl, shaking and hiccupping. Shikamaru's heart almost broke before she looked up at him, a big grin on her face even as tears streamed down her small face.

"M-my packm-mates are alright," Fubuki stuttered out through her hiccups.

Shikamaru bent over and picked up the young girl, "Fubuki, I'm so proud of you, working so hard to protect the ones you care for."

Ino walked over, Akoaiji still in her arms. At seeing Fubuki, Akoaiji immediately brightened and dropped from his mother's arms to hold the young girl's hand. Fubuki looked at him and smiled a wolf-like grin, her tears beginning to stop flowing. Shikamaru set her down so she was level with the young boy.

"Fubuki-chan… Thank you!" Akoaiji threw his arms around her and squeezed the girl tightly, then dropped his arms to his sides, smiling.

Fubuki blinked and smiled, "You're welcome Akoaiji-kun!"

And for the rest of the week some healing was done… The future seemed bright… For a while.

--

**A/N- **Okay, I'm sorry for the, but the next chapter will be pretty dark. It has to be, and I regret to say it is going to probably be the last chapter of Arc 2, and then Arc 3 will begin. I know the summary changed and that there were no weddings, but when attempted to fit in with everything else… it defeats the purpose of the story. Again sorry, but it is necessary. Any confused at Fubuki's speech can PM me; it's actually pretty simple if you think about it.

I would also like to thank my awesome Beta, STG, or SarcasticallyTroublesomeGirl. THANK YOU XD

_Vally27_


	23. Two and a Half Months

Hey people, I am a bit saddened to say that this will be the last chapter for Arc 2… But at the same time I am excited beyond belief. Cause guess what, Arc 3 is going to be coming soon! This is sort of a recollection of what has happened since the last chapter and during some parts that I will be clarifying. I must thank my awesome Beta STG or SarcasticallyTroublesomeGirl, for all her work in betaing my story.

NOTE: This chapter will change POV a few times, so I'm sorry for any inconvenience. The chapter is mostly in first person though.

EXTRA NOTE: Longest chapter to date! (7000+ words)

_**Recap:**_

"_**M-my packm-mates are alright," Fubuki stuttered out through her hiccups.**_

_**Shikamaru bent over and picked up the young girl, "Fubuki, I'm so proud of you, working so hard to protect the ones you care for."**_

_**Ino walked over, Akoaiji still in her arms. At seeing Fubuki, Akoaiji immediately brightened and dropped from his mother's arms to hold the young girl's hand. Fubuki looked at him and smiled a wolf-like grin, her tears beginning to stop flowing. Shikamaru set her down so she was level with the young boy.**_

"_**Fubuki-chan… Thank you!" Akoaiji threw his arms around her and squeezed the girl tightly, then dropped his arms to his sides, smiling.**_

_**Fubuki blinked and smiled, "You're welcome Akoaiji-kun!"**_

_**And for the rest of the week some healing was done… The future seemed bright… For a while.**_

--

I look out at my peaceful village now and take a deep breath. I can always smell it now, the putrid smell of death coming ever closer as yet another hidden village has fallen to a mysterious force.

It had begun with Kumogakure. Suddenly all communication with the village had been cut off. When an envoy was sent, they reported back nearly babbling and deeply disturbed, all the people whom were in the village were massacred, there were no survivors, and very few still looked like they used to be human beings. When witnesses of what happened to the village were finally found, they were so traumatized that absolutely nothing was discernable from their testimonies except some sparse words: _dog, monster, blood everywhere, death, __**demon**_. All the Kages knew full well Gobi, the five headed dog had already been killed, so what could it have been?

Then it was the village hidden in the waterfall, all the signs of the same massacre in Kumo, except this time someone from the village actually survived the attack. A hardened shinobi lay on the cold, wet ground, covered in gashes and bleeding out slowly as a giant claw stuck out of his torso. He stared up at the sky; it was raining, though to me, it seemed more like the heavens were crying.

When the envoy found him in the rain he looked slightly at peace, as though he were resting.

"_Sir! Why do you lay there as if nothing is wrong?"_ The shinobi envoy had said to the poor man.

His face spread into a weak smile, _"No use fighting death, young one. Plus, I can no longer feel the pain; it has long since bled away, for Kami has had mercy on me after all my suffering, after all the loss."_

The envoy looked respectfully at the man, humbled greatly by his words, _"Shinobi-sama, please, I must know, what happened here?"_

The man stared up at him before nodding slightly, _"If you must know young one…"_

The man recounted the attack, the deaths of his people and finally came to what had done it all.

"_It was a young man, just some regular young man, nothing special. He had come wearing a blank Hitai-ite, which showed he was a shinobi, but was not affiliated with any village. We were weary of him though, we watched him from afar, and when he showed no malice so we sent some one to meet him, to see his true intentions. That scout was me, and I believe that was probably the only reason I am still here before you, even if I am in this state."_ He muttered, his eyes beginning to cloud.

The envoy had a shine in his eyes now, was it tears? I wouldn't know. Maybe it was reverence, or maybe it was respect. Again, I would not now.

"_He seemed pleasant enough and since I can usually tell people's intentions by just looking him over, he only had the intentions to replenish his supplies. But as soon as we entered the village he began to freak out, grabbing his head, screaming, he told me to kill him as well… I of course refused and suddenly he was screaming louder and I saw him morph into a hulking dog type thing, the red chakra he gave off, had to mean he was a demon… but, it wasn't natural… Blood was pouring out of his mouth and his eyes turned to slits, and became completely crazed. He dug a claw in to me, ripping through my spine, but it somehow kept me intact as the attack went on. At the end, he turned back, covered completely in blood and freaked out again, and then he ran,"_ The man said slowly as one of the envoys moved him gently into a sitting position.

"_The poor guy can't control it I don't think… You know young one… I'm tired… I'm going to go to sleep now… I… could… use… the rest…"_ The man was staring up at the sky once again before he closed his eyes for the final time.

Both envoys bowed their heads in respect. One of them, took off the hood he had been wearing and rubbed his pupil-less eyes wearily, the other sighed and ran a hand through his hair taking out the hair tie that held his hair up out and let his damp black hair fall at his shoulders.

"_Come Akoaiji, we have gotten the information," _The envoy said to me, his young protégé that stood in the shadows.

I nodded,_ "Yes father."_

Shikamaru smiled a bit morbidly, uncle Neji scanned once more around seeing if there was anyone else, and then we began to run back through the exit of the village, I followed and tried to get the vision of the many dead out of my mind. I was fighting a losing battle when our team stepped out of the village, but then I saw her, and my mind was cleared. She ran up and hugged both my father and I. I almost forgot we were in hostile territory as I almost slumped into her embrace.

"_Ako-kun, daijoubu?"_ Fubuki asked as she released me from her embrace.

I felt my face heat up as I noticed I was staring at her, _"H-Hai Fubuki-chan."_

A lot of things had changed in the years past my transformation… That day was hell until Fubuki and the others I cared for came for me and Kawari.

Danzo had had some sort of machine… I went in first, and it felt as if it was ripping my very essence, my very soul, added something feral to it, and then jammed it brutally back into my body. I was half conscious then when I was taken out of the machine. I also felt my control over my mind going, a scary feeling, as if you were being torn away from yourself. Then I heard Kawari's screams, sometimes I hear them in my nightmares, and when I wake up, I wonder if I screamed as much when I was in there.

Then at times I remember Ikaru and his fiancé Lila, I think about what he did was for his loved one, the person he cared for more than life itself. I no longer blamed him for what happened, neither did Kawari after what we saw… But the days I remember what had happened to them, I begin to cry.

"_Danzo here are your captives, now give me Lila!"_ Ikaru had shouted as he threw Kawari and me at his feet, the roughness of the throw did nothing for the bruises we each had all over our battered bodies.

Lila had already run to Ikaru when Danzo growled darkly.

"_You are one short you damn fool,"_ He said menacingly, as he began to go through one handed seals.

Ikaru's eyes had widened as he grabbed onto his loved one, he held her tight to his body as he attempted to escape. They were over the council table when Danzo unleashed his attack. Kawari and I closed our eyes to their screams of pain. Then I heard Ikaru say something that made us cry as Danzo laughed horridly.

"_I-I lo-love you L-lila… I love you…"_ Ikaru choked out to his near dead love as tears streamed down both faces.

Lila could only mouth the words back her throat having been cut, and he could only guess that Kami was being as merciful as he was for the hardened shinobi and allowed them to die at approximately the same time.

Then the time after, as my father, my godfather, Uncle Gaara, and Fubuki had come… It felt as if I was trapped as a monster had control over my body. Then Fubuki had spoken to me, I won the battle for my mind then as her voice cut through the darkness. My father saved me, my mother came for me, Kawari was rescued, and Fubuki was happy.

Everything was great, though I could never really enjoy everything as I used to. I was forced once again to grow up that day.

Everything was okay until Sakura had had a miscarriage, into her eighth month of pregnancy, it was only two days after my birthday, it was hectic for another few months and then it calmed down, everyone had gotten married only a year later, and I kept feeling weird around Fubuki, I dismissed it and thought nothing of it.

Then two years later Sakura had gotten pregnant again. It was great again. Everything was happy.

Then it all went to hell.

Tsunade-Obaa-sama passed away in her sleep. Naruto was devastated, but we all, his precious people, brought him back to his senses, Kushina-Obaa-sama was truly frightening in the way she yelled at him to snap out of it. Then suddenly there was a mission surge. Naruto had no choice but to send out almost every available shinobi.

Sasuke was away during the birth of his baby due to that very mission surge, and then something had gone terribly wrong, after the baby was born Sakura flat-lined, and the baby was born with a pulse barely moving through its body. The doctors couldn't figure out what the hell was wrong, and when they called auntie Hinata, it was already too late. Sakura died and the baby's fate was up in the air. Mom was devastated and we comforted her for two whole days. She took a turn for the better and then another tragedy came to pass.

Then there was a misstatement somewhere along the message line and Sasuke had understood that both had died. He reportedly went crazy, injuring all his team and scratching his forehead protector for the second time.

Uncle/ godfather Naruto did not take it well. When he received the news, the baby, dubbed Nero, had just been stabilized. His carefree smile was replaced with a sober look as he told everyone to leave the room. The Hokage's sobs and curses were heard all over the village that day as yet again the Uchiha clan was down to only one. After much debating, it was decided that he would stay with Naruto and Hinata, who only 2 months later now could only take low d-rank missions. She was pregnant now, Kushina-Obaa-chan was ecstatic, soon to be a grandmother, and things began to get back to normal, though the second betrayal of Uchiha Sasuke stung deep into the hearts of my loved ones…

Then the attacking of the villages by the transforming monster… Naruto worked late, but auntie Hinata and granny Kushina always took care of him. Mom and dad always would chastise uncle Naruto, and when they did, it would bring back that cheery smile that didn't show itself as often… at least until his first daughter was born. The couple decided to call her Naruko as a tribute to Naruto's old pranking days; they didn't expect that she would be a little devil though. The only two truly spared from her sadistic baby wrath were really Hinata and Kushina.

Then mom and dad announced that they had one on the way only three months later, and auntie Ten-Ten also was pregnant, uncle Neji was ecstatic. We've also been studying how summons disperse, I am keeping true to my word… Though I do not believe it is only because she's my friend any more, but I feel something more. I still don't truly know how I feel about her, but I… It's been weird these last few months, all these weird feelings popping up. I tried to talk to my mom… but she was no help after she began to rant about some weird stuff. We've made it pretty far in the study though, using summons willing to be dispersed in the name of becoming more solid.

Fubuki and I also graduated from the academy with full honors, and since the class was uneven we were put into a three man team instead of a four man team with our Jonin-Sensei being some crazy dog guy. His name is Kiba, I like his dog though, Akamaru's great.

Now here we are, back in the village about five months after the fact, dad is fussing over mom, telling her to take it easy, since she is six months pregnant. Auntie Ten-Ten is only a week farther along then mom. Honestly I can't wait for more munchkins, but at the same time I fear for my loved ones' safety.

For I can always smell it, the death, the fear, coming from outside the village walls as the others in the village are oblivious. Well, at least everyone except Fubuki, and I. Kawari, who regularly sends letters to us every other week, can smell it too. Though sometimes we think uncle Gaara and Naruto can get a whiff of it, for they sometimes go still after taking a deep breath, but otherwise they seem oblivious to it.

I hear Fubuki come into the room and put a gentle hand on my shoulder. She tightens her grip on my shoulder and my heart begins to race as I feel my face heat up. I reach up and mess with my Hitai-ite; I usually have rolled over my hair. I blush deeper as she just stands there, and as she gets closer to me, I have to hide this blush. I take off my Hitai-ite and let my hair fall naturally over my face, my scraggly-looking dog ears twitching at the squeal of delight as she pets them.

I sigh in relief and turn away from the window, engaging in conversation with a girl I had fallen hard for.

--

I hate watching him when he's like this. He looks so old, and yet he has only accumulated 13 short years. He is my pack mate, my brethren, my kin, yet he insists on being alone, well, except with me. And for that I am happy, but Shikamaru-san and Ino-san are getting more and more worried, more and more distressed… It is probably because they can not catch the scent we can… That scent of the dead wafting toward us always.

Still… He deserves better after all he's been through. And that's why I hate it when he sits at that cursed window of his and just looks out at the village, worrying about something that he can do nothing for the time being. I walk toward him and lay a hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture. When he doesn't respond, I decide to squeeze his shoulder, showing him that I'm there for him. He reaches up and messes with his Hitai-ite, he almost always has it on. I think it's more to hide his ears since his transformation, I don't understand why though. They're so adorable!

I blush as he compliments my hair; he always drops little compliments like that… I wonder why? It's not that I do not enjoy his compliments or niceties… It's just that, is it on a whim or is it because… Does he feel something for me? But… He couldn't like me like that… Right?

I'm just his pack mate. That is all… But then why does it hurt to admit it?

I think my face fell as I feel arms encircle my stomach and I get pulled back into a warm embrace. Akoaiji is hugging me… Kami preserve me, I think I am going to die. I can feel my heart speed up and my blood rush to my cheek as he speaks gently.

"_Fubuki-chan you okay?"_ He mutters into my ear.

I shivered slightly and pull away, _"I-I'm fine Ako-kun! I sw-swear!!"_

Akoaiji laughs, as he smiles and nods, _"Of course."_

And we continue our conversation as if nothing happened. Though… I sort of wish something had.

--

Fubuki smiled as they conversed and to Akoaiji's distress she brought up the subject he hated to talk about.

"Akoaiji-kun… Why are you resigned lately? Shikamaru-san and Ino-san are worried about you…"

Akoaiji sighed, "I know… I just… That scent keeps getting closer… I'm worried about things."

Fubuki was close to losing her temper as she began to speak again, "Well, you are doing them no good if you're always away from them, not watching over them."

Akoaiji began to protest and Fubuki's eye just twitched as her peaceful demeanor was lost. She reached into her pocket as Akoaiji ranted on about something; she had blocked him out already. He turned away as she placed two earplugs in her ears and took out a dog whistle. She looked on smirking slightly as she blew as hard as she could into it. Akoaiji jumped, winced and turned around as quickly as he could, covering his sensitive ears with his hands. Fubuki stopped and nodded, satisfied at the reaction.

"Akoaiji, you are lucky enough to have a family that loves you very much, yet you refuse to spend time with them, instead you sit here alone!" Fubuki said, her voice practically screaming how annoyed she was.

Akoaiji blinked and blushed at how she had put him in his place. She could do this so effectively now, she had even done it to prisoners before. It made her a great advocate for interrogations. She looked at him with pained eyes, and his heart nearly broke. Suddenly he was reminded of a recent memory when he turned away a chance to go out with his mother and father, the same look in their eyes was apparent when he had turned them down and turned away, back to looking out his window.

He straightened up and looked at the girl in front of him. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek lightly, mussing up her hair before running out of his room. Fubuki blushed a deep crimson and it took a moment before she registered what had happened.

She brought up two fingers to where his lips once were, blushed deeper before sighing and following the boy out.

Akoaiji walked up to where his mother sat, reading a baby book, and bit his lip, "Mom?"

Ino looked up from her book and smiled softly at her son, "Yes Ako?"

Akoaiji smiled at his old nickname and hugged his mother tight. Ino looked a bit surprised, but smiled happily and hugged her son back.

"What brought this on, Ako?" Ino asked as her son buried his head into the crook of her neck.

"I'm sorry, if I have been distant… I've been thinking of my little brother," Akoaiji muttered, not lying, but not telling the whole truth.

Ino, if she caught on, didn't show anything except happiness. She kissed his brow and stroked his hair.

"You know Ako, Your father and I are actually going to have to buy some pink infancy clothes as well," Ino said, a small grin on her face.

Akoaiji stared at her confused, before it struck him, he looked at her amazed, "No wonder you've gotten so big around the middle mom!

Ino's eye twitched before Akoaiji got up and excused himself from the room, he knew that look, and it promised great punishment if you were not out of its sight within a certain time period. He sighed as he walked out of the room and back up the stairs that led to the sleeping chambers, Fubuki watched him go, smiling softly as he seemed genuinely happy.

"Thank you Kami, for this family, and for letting me be able to share in their times and their happiness. For allowing me to be able to help them in their problems," Fubuki muttered slightly before a cry came up from upstairs.

Ino stood up from seat and yelled up, "Akoaiji?! Are you okay?"

Fubuki took off upstairs and ran into the room where Akoaiji was standing at the window, mumbling something to himself. She walked over and tapped his shoulder; he whipped around so quickly he almost hit her.

"S-sorry…" He said quietly before he seemed to compose himself.

He looked at her with urgency shining through his midnight black orbs, "Fubuki, I want you to take a deep breath and tell me what you smell."

Fubuki looked at him strangely and did so, "I smell nothing except the regular smells of a huge village."

"Exactly!" Akoaiji shouted, "The smell of death just suddenly stopped and dropped away."

He locked eyes with her as his mother walked in and mouthed, "Something is wrong."

"Is everything alright?" Ino asked as she walked over, worry in her eyes.

Akoaiji looked at his mother and smiled, "Everything is fine kaa-san, I was just… surprised."

Ino nodded and the worried look abated. Akoaiji though hated it. He always hated lying to his mother, but this time it was for the best right?

Well Ino walked away and the two teens stood staring out the window wondering what the hell could be happening.

--

I wake up now to the cooking of a former elder sister, whom I now consider my mother. I wake up to the soft voice of my former elder brother, now my father. They greet me softly as my baby sister sleeps in a crib out in the kitchen for when mom wants to watch over the young one and a half year old when cooking. It's strange how things change so quickly.

Five years ago I was living on the streets, fighting over scraps with bigger people than me, and almost got killed for it. I lived in a small 'house' made up of three sturdy cardboard boxes and tape, a large amount of tape. I hated the regular people of the village. The idiots complaining about trivial things when they did not even notice how lucky they were. A dry home, a roof over their heads, food wasn't necessarily sparse, most of them had families or friends that cared for them. And yet the fools would get into squabbles over fashion of all things.

And because of that I took it upon myself to make their lives a little bit harder, while having fun at the same time. Pranks, sneak attacks, and massive robberies with some of the other kids I knew, those were the days… But I got wearier after one of my close acquaintances, a kid named Ryouko was caught; I didn't cause as much havoc. I became a bit more legit. I was then about eight years old.

It was about two days before a huge festival in the village; I was in my alley, minding my own business, when this lady throws away a huge turkey, saying mumbling something about her damn husband not caring for her cooking, so she wouldn't cook anymore. Something along those lines at least. I ran up as quick as I could to the garbage and fished it out. I was rapturous and I about to walk back to my cardboard house when one of the older beggars snarled at me. He had pulled a knife and told me to give up the turkey, and when I refused, he slashed me, it hurt, so much so that I began to scream. I only ever felt worse pain in one situation…

Suddenly I heard two people come, I heard the beggar yell in pain, but I could barely see anything, I was so tired and weak. I heard voices, but it was like they were miles away, or as if I were submerged in water and the voices were trying to reach me. I then woke up feeling much better, and the Kazekage, of all people, was there, he questioned me, and soothed me, then he got this whole bunch of food brought in! I ate to my heart's content and was full for the first time in a long time.

We talked some more and he left. I didn't like it in there though. So I leapt out of bed and wandered the hospital. I thought I had my chance to surprise the great Kazekage, but as soon as I tried to tackle him, he sidestepped and caught me. I went to sleep after another strange encounter and the next day we played hide and seek and I met Matsuri-Chan. She was really nice… After my ordeal she was always kind, always helping me out through any changes, and along with dad, the two always made me feel loved.

I once spoke to Akoaiji about the events of the day that changed us. We both burst into tears, once he even asked if he had screamed in the machine. I told him the honest truth, I didn't remember at all. In fact, I always tried to suppress those memories; I had no want or use for them.

A month later I then overheard a conversation between mom and dad when they weren't 'together'.

I huddled against the corner, as they spoke, hanging on to every word.

"_Gaara-kun… There is something I need to tell you. But every time I attempt to tell you… something goes wrong,"_ Mom had said to dad, looking all worried.

Dad's back was to me, but I could discern the concern in his voice, _"What's wrong, did something happen?"_

Mom shook her head so furiously, I was scared she could hurt herself, _"It's not like that, it's just that…"_

After 'that' I couldn't hear anything, but dad had stepped forward and hugged mom really tight, and muttered something into her hair. I know what it was they said now, but before, it was nothing short of a mystery. I popped out from the corner after that, and nearly scared mom out of her skin. Dad began to laugh, and when I asked what was so funny, he just shook his head and mussed up my hair.

I thought back then, of how strange my parents were. Well, back then they were my siblings, they weren't ready to be parents just yet. And then they got married. And I'll admit it, I acted like a brat. I didn't like that my siblings weren't spending as much time with me as they used to, and instead were spending more time with each other. I think the only justified action was the only time I have ever run away from my family.

You see, dad had always read me to sleep. At least up until two years ago, when I was eleven. I asked him to come and read after maybe three hours of him being home. He refused, stating that he had to plan the wedding, talk it over with uncle Kankuro to just finalize that it was ok for me to stay at his home while they went on a very short honeymoon.

He said, _"I have no time for foolish reading right now Kawari. You are nine; you should begin to read by yourself."_

Those words had hurt like a sword through my heart. I remember twitching and biting down on my lip hard to keep myself from sobbing. I threw my book at him and for the first time I remember I caught him off guard. It connected with his head and I sprinted away. I heard him growl in anger and yell after me, but I ran into my room too quickly. I locked the door and got together some clothes and my bank of ryu and I leapt out of my window.

He caught me a day later, trying to apologize. I refused his apology flat out. I had never caught dad so flatfooted in my life. Then again I have never seen my dad ever so riddled with self-loathing. I saw straight through him. He was genuinely torn apart by what had happened. We cried together that day and he promised to never allow it to happen again.

I learned only a few months ago that mom had put him in his place after what he had done. I loved her even more for it.

Then, only a mere eighteen months ago I noticed mom had begun to get bigger around the middle. I said nothing of it because I valued my life, but dad said casually one day.

_"Honey, you've been getting a bit wider," _Dad had stated his reading glasses on as he read a local newspaper.

I cringed as mom froze and dad chuckled as she turned around, flaming eyes of death shining at full power and her frying pan in hand.

Then he saved himself with words that stopped her dead in her tracks.

_"So is my heir a boy or girl?"_

Mom's face was so priceless, I wish I had a camera to capture the moment, her jaw had dropped as she began to sputter something incoherent. Dad just got up and kissed her cheek, rubbed her stomach fondly and announced that he was going to the office. At that moment I realized, that dad was really slick... Well at least with mom anyway.

My baby sister was born a particularly sunny day in Sunagakure. It was a regular day, and she supposedly was due in a month. Apparently, she decided, screw that, I'm cramped in here and I am leaving this joint! Mom was presenting to my class the correct way to mold chakra when suddenly she appeared to piss her pants. My class began to laugh as I ran up to my mother. She practically bellowed for me to get the infirmary nurse. And soon enough Mom was being carried to the hospitals, screaming profanities at the top of her lungs. The day my sister was born was the single most amusing and scary time of my life, and for the record, I did not know half the words she yelled out existed.

Then dad with his completely freaked out demeanor came in and tried to help mom through it… But she kept threatening him… This was the horribly scary part. I wondered for a whole year why dad went so pale when mom threatened to castrate him for impregnating her. When I learned what castrate meant I winced, and felt horrible for my father.

After trying to comfort her he decided to just hold her hand and towel dry her head any time she needed it. Then mom broke his hand. She had screamed and pushed one final time and you just heard the crunch of bones, and then a baby's loud cry. Dad was solemn as he looked at his disfigured hand and mom lay in the hospital bed, passed out from exertion.

And that was the day little Hikari came into our lives. She had one small red hair sticking out from her scalp, and the most beautiful coal eyes I had ever seen. Dad held her in his good arm before the doctor pulled him away to splint up his hand. I love my little sister. We all do. But with this scent… I fear for all my loved ones' safety.

--

And then, all of a sudden, a young boy in the prosperous village of Sunagakure looked out from his huge balcony above the village and twitched violently.

"The smell just increased ten-fold and right near… Konoha?"

"This can't be!" He muttered as he ran to his father's office.

"Tou-san! Something is going to happen in Konoha!" He yelled with urgency.

Gaara looked up and sighed, "Kawari, please keep your voice down."

Kawari flushed in embarrassment, "O-Of course father, I apologize."

Gaara nodded, "Do not worry, now what was it you needed?"

Kawari looked his father straight in the eyes and began to tell him of the scents he had smelled, and with every passing word, Gaara became more and more worried for the village of his greatest friends.

--

And at that very moment a young man with shoulder length ebony hair and a triangular scar upon his left cheek walked up to the gates of the village hidden within the leaves. He wore a blank Hitai-ite proudly on his forehead as he approached. Two guards jumped down very quickly to 'greet' him.

"State your name and business!" One barked out, making sure they were at least 20 yards away in case a fight broke out.

The man smiled wearily, "My name is Jiai. Hinote, Jiai. I am here to see an old acquaintance of mine."

The men stared at him blankly before one went very still and whipped out the Iwagakure bingo book. He opened it to a bookmarked page and there was Jiai again.

**Given Name: Hinote, Jiai**

**Age: Circa. Late twenties**

**Rank: Genin**

**Danger Level: S rank, approach with extreme caution. If noticed, flee as quickly as possible.**

**Wanted For: Freeing 100 pieces of property, and killing 70 active duty shinobi in cold blood.**

**Known Techniques: **

**-- Kaze no Yaiba- ****uses a vacuum shaped by chakra controlled wind to act like a sword blade and makes perfect cuts. Is able to use from any part of body with a one-handed seal. Killed 12 with the technique.**

**-- Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu- Creates a dragon made complete of water to attack enemies and leave them disorientated or worse, depending on the amount of chakra used. Is able to perform with a one-handed seal as well. Drowned 17 with the technique.**

**-- Katon: Kazanfunka no Jutsu- Turns the air around the user's hands hot enough to melt rock into liquid magma and in turn makes it able to control the magma. Is able to perform with little to no difficulty. Set 11 on fire, only bones were found.**

**-- Doton: Wana- Liquefies the ground at a person's feet, then resolidifies, effectively trapping the person into the ground. Is able to liquefy ground to the deepest point he needs. Buried 30 alive.**

**Bounty: 1,000,000,000 ryu for capture, alive or dead.**

**Supposed Allies: Konohagakure, Sunagakure**

The other guard's jaw dropped as he read the page.

"Hey! I am not in my late twenties! I am 19 thank you very much!" Jiai said glaring at the page from over the guards' shoulders.

The guards jumped apart, surprised, and glared at him. Jiai paid no mind as he ranted on.

"And 100 pieces of property? Oh please! I freed 100 slaves from the Tsuchikage!" He said anger apparent in his deep amber pools.

The guards looked upon the ranting man and shook their heads slowly before yelling up to gate control. Jiai thanked them for their help and walked on in to the village. He looked around at the prosperous village and smiled. He walked by, flustering several women, flirting with others. He came to run down apartment building and sighed as he climbed. His goofy smile he had on as he walked into the village was gone, replaced with a hard stone mask.

He knocked on the door of the apartment that he came to and the door swung open. A high, falsetto voice suddenly rang out.

"Ah! Jiai, come in, I've been expecting you."

Jiai growled as he walked in and looked around. The apartment was very well kept, and most would have thought they had walked into a completely different building. He looked around for the owner of the voice and his eyes narrowed as his vision came to rest on one regenerated Kabuto. He had spent the last five years healing and regenerating the horribly scarred body he had once had. Though there was one part he could never regenerate, which led to his falsetto voice. But enough of that.

Jiai grabbed him by the front of his shirt and slammed the shorter man hard against the nearest wall, effectively pinning him there.

"Get this demon out of me!" Jiai yelled, his amber eyes growing into slits to illustrate his point, the triangular scar on his cheek glowed with an orange aura, proving to be the seal placed into him.

Kabuto smirked, "Of course my dear friend."

Jiai eyed him wearily, but nevertheless let him go. Kabuto smiled and dusted himself off.

"Come along, I have just the thing to extract that demon of yours. It will even leave you unharmed," Kabuto's falsetto voice took on a light tone.

Jiai nodded wearily and followed Kabuto to a room in the back of the apartment. He opened the door and switched on a light switch. The room was small and bare except for three things. A seat that looked like a dentist's chair, a console full of knobs, switches, and buttons, and then a thing that was connected to the console that looked to be a pincer of sorts.

'The machine is something I… acquired… from an old rival of mine and then I modified it, so instead of taking a soul out and returning it, it keeps it out and places it away for safe keeping," Kabuto explained.

Kabuto instructed him to take off his shirt and to sit down as he prepped the machine. Jiai nodded and did so. But the second he sat down, chakra chains surrounded him and held him in place, his eyes widened as he struggled and yelled. Kabuto smiled evilly, lapping his yells of fright up like a kitten at a water saucer.

"I am sorry to say I told the truth about everything except that part about you living," His high voice clipped through Jiai's yelling as he pressed a button.

The pincer struck straight into Jiai's heart and before his heart exploded, he shifted and it felt as if the pincer grabbed some of his soul along with the crazed dog demon inside of him. The machine drew it out as a long, shining, orange string, and placed it into a box. Kabuto smirked and left the room, not knowing of the extra catch.

He came to a window and laughed as one thought ran through his head, _'Two and a half months before total annihilation.'_

And in one of the more peaceful homes a wedded couple kissed tenderly as a blonde stroked her enlarged belly. A man with his midnight black hair, up in a spiky ponytail looked on at his wife lovingly.

They spoke together.

"Two and a half months before our children are born."

And in the darkest of all darkness, Jiai came to face himself. He stared at the almost mirror image. The only differences were two. This Jiai had two scraggly dog ears, and a tail. Other than that they were completely alike.

Jiai glared at his mirror image as his blood boiled in rage.

The mirror image smirked, "I am going to kill all of them. And you can not stop me."

Jiai's eyes grew shadowed as he ducked his head, and his deep set frown became a beatific grin, "Yes I can, and I will."

With that the two began to fight.

In two and a half months, something would begin that no one would expect. And all of our protagonists will have to make the hardest decisions of their lives. And along with that, the lives of the new youngest generation would hang in the balance.

Will they be ready?

-End Arc 2-

A/N: OK. I know you guys probably want to kill me right now for stopping. But it is for your own good. I was scared I would completely blow your mind if I continued on, so I saved your lives. XD Still in Arc 3, possibly the final arc, everything will get worse, and then even worse before it gets better, but that's how life is, right? WIll be taking a break to do summer homework...XD I hate homework. Oh well...

P.S. - THANKS FOR THE 15000+ HITS, I LOVE YOU ALL AND I HOPE YOU KEEP READING UNTIL THE END!

P.S.S. - Review if you want the first chapter of Arc 3 to come faster. It'll work. I swear.

_Vally27_


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